The final phase of the refurbished Kansai International Airport (KIX) Terminal 1 opened on March 27, 2025, to accommodate the millions of passengers expected to pass through the iconic building to attend World Expo in Osaka.
Kansai Airports and global design firm Populous have worked for more than seven years to completely reimagine the airport’s floor plan, bringing a new level of efficiency and experience for travelers to Japan’s west.
Populous senior principal and director Brett Wightman said the original Kansai International Airport (KIX) Terminal 1, which opened in 1994, wanted to make the best possible use of the existing infrastructure and maximize commercial return for Kansai Airports.
“Working closely with the facility operators, key stakeholders and end users, as well as expert retail and planning consultants, we have been able to craft a design that is built upon operational functionality, passenger convenience, accessibility and sustainability, while delivering innovative solutions that create an authentic and experiential environment with a clearly defined spirit of place.”
The new Terminal 1 includes a 60% increase in the size of the international departure lounge and retail offerings, the introduction of innovative retail layouts based on passenger experiences, and the creation of a seamless processing experience.
Phased renovation
Populous led the architecture and interior design of the redevelopment, and oversaw the project throughout construction, taking care to consider operational functionality throughout the renovation. The project has been completed in phases to allow for continued operation of the airport, which is expected to accommodate more than 40 million passengers a year from 2025 and almost double international capacity.
In October 2022, KIX opened the new Phase 1 domestic area, followed by the new international area. Phase Two was completed in December 2023 and included 6,650m2 of additional airside retail outlets, 1,130m2 of food and beverage space and a new centralized immigration area.
The Populous team and Kansai Airports completed Phase 3 on March 27, 2025, allowing the consolidation and extension of the security screening area to be ready before World Expo 2025 begins in April in Osaka.
Phase 3 – international security checkpoints now open
Phase 3 includes faster, more comfortable and smoother security inspection with additional smart lanes capable of processing between 4,500 and 6,000 passengers an hour.
The new queue management system is the first of its kind in Japan, automatically controlling flapper gates to switch waiting lines based on real-time passenger flow data. The system enables passengers to be automatically guided to the security inspection lanes according to the number of passengers and their flow.
A new commercial area includes 13 stores across international departures, international arrivals and a street food court.
The project has already been recognized for its architectural vision as a finalist in the 2023 World Architecture Festival Awards for Future Projects – Infrastructure.
Originally designed by world-renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano, the airport is considered an architectural icon. As part of the high-tech architecture movement of the 1990s, KIX’s industrial design is famous for its asymmetrical clear-span sweeping aerofoil roofline. At 1.7km, it is one of the longest airport passenger terminal buildings in the world.
Principal design manager Jack Kato said the redesign had to respect the old while embracing new commercial opportunities for passengers: “We broke away from the former gray color scheme, reinvigorating the interior spaces with a palette of natural materials to give the terminal a distinctly Japanese feel. But at the same time we opened up areas like the relocated immigration hall to provide an open space reflecting the original architecture and offering an inspiring arrival experience to start each journey. This will transform the arrival experience of each journey into something inspirational.”
