Best Project, Airports/Ports: Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Airport
The rich history of Islamic architecture and the beauty of the region's palm trees and volcanic mountains inspired the design of the $1.2- billion Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport expansion in Medina, Saudi Arabia—the first public-private aviation project and concession in the country and the Gulf region.
The airport, first built as a regional facility in 1950, now is designed to handle 8 million passengers a year and larger aircraft to serve Islam's second-holiest city, which attracts millions of Muslim pilgrims annually—most from other countries. The project's first phase adds a three-level, 156,000-sq-meter main terminal, with 16 aprons, 26 auxiliary buildings and 10 kilometers of taxiways. Two runways were expanded and modernized to meet international standards. Next to the terminal, six air-conditioned pavilions with tensile-fabric roofs will accommodate heavy passenger loads at peak periods.