✈️ Renowned British architecture studio Foster + Partners has completed the Techo International Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, a monumental project that blends technology, sustainability, and vernacular architecture into one striking design.
🌿 A Design Tailored to Cambodia’s Tropical Climate
Located south of the Cambodian capital, the new airport was conceived to respond to the country’s tropical climate while reflecting its culture and architectural heritage.
The complex features a main terminal with a curved concourse extending northward. According to the master plan, a southern concourse is scheduled to open in 2030.
🏗️ Architecture Inspired by Cambodia’s Temples and Palaces
The building showcases a curved steel structural grid, with columns that expand upward to form a modular vaulted roof, evoking the grand forms of Cambodia’s temples and palaces.
This roof canopy shelters security areas, passenger zones, and retail spaces, while extending beyond the glass façades to provide natural shading for drop-off and outdoor areas.
☀️ Natural Light and Local Materials at the Core
Drawing inspiration from traditional Cambodian basket weaving, Foster + Partners designed woven lattice panels that wrap around the steel framework, filtering daylight through skylights during the day and creating a warm, relaxing glow at night.
“The lightweight modular structure and layered ceiling filter natural light into the building, allowing people to experience the changing qualities of the external environment throughout the day,”
said Nikolai Malsch, senior partner at Foster + Partners.
“Our design combines technological innovation with references to Cambodia’s architectural heritage. The interior materials are warm and inviting to ensure maximum passenger comfort while reinforcing the country’s unique identity,”
Malsch added.
🚶♂️ Passenger Experience: Comfort and Intuitive Orientation
The design of Techo International Airport prioritizes short walking distances and clear wayfinding, ensuring a smooth and intuitive passenger journey.
Inside the terminal, the architects incorporated native Cambodian trees and flowers, along with 200 handcrafted sculptures, including a central bronze Buddha, reinforcing a deep cultural and spiritual connection.
🌎 A Sustainable Gateway to Cambodia
“Techo International Airport is a celebration of Cambodian culture and light, and represents a new gateway to the country,”
said Stefan Behling, head of Foster + Partners.
“It is also one of the most sustainable airports in the region, filled with natural light, lush local greenery, and strong visual connections to the outdoors,”
he continued.
“The terminal holistically transforms the travel experience for the people of Cambodia and the millions of visitors who pass through each year,”
Behling concluded.
🚄 A Visionary Masterplan for the Future
The Techo International Airport is part of a larger masterplan by Foster + Partners, which will include a high-speed rail station and a public park nearby.
With this project, the firm reinforces its leadership in sustainable architecture and contemporary airport design, setting a new benchmark for infrastructure in Southeast Asia.
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