Terminal 2
San Francisco International Airport
Architect: Gensler

Renovated with a preponderance of white surfaces and natural lighting, SFO’s Terminal 2 strives—appropriately, given the current state of travel—for a spa-like atmosphere. The ticketing counters are paneled in faux zebrawood, and the post-TSA lounge area—aptly named “Recompose”—offers cushioned seating under a gossamer cloud of purplish threads (a ceiling sculpture by Janet Echelman). The food purveyors are primarily local: Napa Farms Market occupies a handsome space with tiled walls and an open oven, designed by Baldauf Catton von Eckartsberg Architects. In the main gate area, two tiers of clerestory windows and angled rooflines create a visual sense of uplift, while Arne Jacobsen Egg and Swan chairs lend a design edge to seating clusters. Slated for LEED Gold certification, the $383 million renovation incorporates energy-saving measures like a displacement ventilation system that brings in outside air for natural cooling, and prominently placed water fountains that are designed for refilling water bottles at the gate.