San Diego International Airport's new $3.8 billion Terminal 1, which opened in September, has been named one of the seven most beautiful airports in the world by the Paris-based Prix Versailles. The award, announced annually at the UNESCO headquarters, recognizes the terminal itself, not the entire airport.
San Diego was one of two American winners, alongside the remodeled Pittsburgh International Airport. Other winners included airports in China, Germany, India, and Cambodia.
The Prix Versailles, founded in 2015, promotes design, sustainability, and innovation. The new terminal features a curved glass façade, outdoor terraces overlooking the bay, and intuitive walkways from curb to gate.
It also includes public art installations such as "Rise" by Matthew Mazzotta, inspired by the purple-striped jellyfish, and "A Day in the Sun" by Amy Ellingson, a mosaic of nearly a million hand-set tiles. The terminal was praised for its lack of structural columns in ticketing areas, reducing its carbon footprint.
Three of the seven winners, including San Diego, are in the running for a world title to be awarded by the end of the year. The architectural firm Gensler, which designed both San Diego and Pittsburgh terminals, expressed pride in the projects.
Last year, the same firm won the world title for San Francisco's Harvey Milk Terminal. Prix Versailles jurors include top architects and occasionally celebrities; last year's panel included actress Emma Watson.