Speaker Biograghy: Chris Donahue AIA LEED AP, is a registered Architect and Design Manager for URS Corporation’s Aviation Center of Excellence in Baltimore, Maryland. He has experience in the planning, design and construction of terminal buildings varying in size from one-gate reliever terminals to the greenfield planning of 100-gate hub facilities. He currently has a four-gate expansion under design in Plattsburgh, New York, four-gate expansion under construction at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, and is planning the expansion of Terminal 1 at JFK International Airport, which will double the capacity of the terminal. His design philosophy is informed by his time as an owner’s representative at Orlando International, Phoenix Sky Harbor and BWI Marshall, where he learned to accomplish designs that enlighten the passenger experience and accommodate the airport’s long-term programmatic goals while keeping the project within budget to minimise the cost to the airlines.


Day 1 - 10 March
Session: Airport Design, Planning & Development

14:45 - 15:10 - Solving multiple issues with one terminal design
Synopsis: In the age where airports strive to provide great customer service without unduly burdening airline rates, it is imperative that terminal expansion projects find ways to solve multiple issues with a single solution. Through a strong partnership, airport owners/operators and designers can deliver innovative solutions that deal with tough existing conditions while also creating an efficient terminal that heightens the passenger experience. The presentation will focus on how BWI Marshall’s latest expansion focuses on maximising the return on capital programmes by asking this simple question: How many problems does each design decision solve?

Audience will learn:

• The importance of quantifying the issues that need to be solved, and identifying bonus goals the design can improve
• Why flexibility in the transition from planning to design reaps hidden benefits
• How partnering between owners and designers produces solutions that solve multiple short and long-term goals at one time
• How design decisions need to solve the issues of today but be flexible enough to allow for future growth
• How to increase the effectiveness of each design decision so each capital investment pays multiple dividends