fluid rattan interiors take over SOM's kempegowda airport in india

undulating rattan interiors at som’s airport design

Hufton + Crow captures new interior images of the completed Kempegowda International Airport Terminal 2, designed by Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill (SOM). The ambitious project has taken shape in Bengaluru, India to introduce a revolutionary and sculptural approach to airport interiors. The exterior structure by SOM is occupied by undulating rattan interior installations that cover 12,000 square meters and redefine what travelers can expect from an airport environment. This expansive space, which encompasses retail, hospitality, and relaxation zones, showcases over nine kilometers of rattan, crafted using hand-wrought techniques on an unprecedented scale. See designboom’s previous coverage here.

image by Ar. Ekansh Goel © Studio Recall

drawing from the garden heritage of kempegowda

The interiors of SOM‘s Kempegowda International Airport Terminal 2 draw inspiration from Bangalore’s heritage, which is rooted in the 20th-century Garden City urban planning movement. This concept envisions a blend of urban and rural elements, aiming to create a utopian environment for the airport’s twenty million annual visitors. Together with the fabrication team at Project Rattan, the architects developed its distinctive design language to create a series of sculptural rattan pods, pushing the boundaries of scale and craftsmanship across Kempegowda International Airport Terminal 2. The largest pod, standing nearly eight meters high, comprises 750 square meters of internal floor space and includes a restaurant with its own interior staircase, gazebo, and garden. Overall, the project includes five colossal pod structures and extensive column claddings, all fabricated from rattan to replace traditional materials like concrete and steel.

The interiors feature intricate rattan weaving that varies in density, creating dynamic and organic forms. This variation conceals functional areas like kitchens while maintaining the sculptural sense of growth and fluidity within the space. Thoughtful lighting design amplifies this effect, highlighting the natural warmth of the materials. Additionally, the scheme incorporates extensive planting, including 700-year-old olive trees, hanging gardens, and thriving vines.

over nine kilometers of hand-wrought rattan are used in the design | image © Hufton + Crow
interiors feature five large rattan pods which evoke billowing movement | image © Hufton + Crow