Raleigh-Durham International Airport Completes Terminal 2
RDU Airport, NC – This weekend, Raleigh-Durham International Airport marks a major milestone with the completion of Terminal 2. Thursday night, construction crews dismantled partitions separating the construction zone from the operating portion of the terminal. Over the next two days, new shops and restaurants will begin operating on Concourse D. Continental Airlines and US Airways will move from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 and begin operating in the new terminal on Sunday.
RDU's newest terminal in more than 20 years combines glass, wood and steel to create a modern building that improves the passenger experience and serves as a gateway to the Research Triangle Region.
“The region RDU serves is unique,” said RDU Airport Director John Brantley. “When planning this terminal building, we took great care to ensure it reflects the region's history of craftsmanship as well as its reputation for high-tech innovation. No visitor will enter this terminal without recognizing that the region they have arrived in is rich in culture, history and innovation.”
Design Improves Passenger Experience
Designed by North Carolina native Curtis Fentress, the building features a column free design that guides passengers from airline check in to the their gate. The terminal departs from the traditional ticketing counters positioned against the wall, and instead features islands that encourage easy movement from ticketing to security checkpoint.
The Meeting Place at Terminal 2
One of the major highlights of Terminal 2 is the Shops of RDU, a collection of 40 retail outlets, restaurants and customer services. Twenty-five shops and restaurants opened when phase one of the project was completed in Oct. 2008. Phase two features an additional 13.
Opening this evening is the Meeting Place, which is designed for family and friends greeting arriving passengers. The Meeting Place is adjacent to a pre-security Starbucks that features monitors with flight arrival information and a view of passengers exiting the corridor.
On the concourse, passengers will find Carolina Vintages a wine bar featuring North Carolina wines and a menu that includes fresh seafood, local produce and a variety of appetizers, salads, sandwiches and unique entrees.
Other restaurants on the new concourse include the gourmet market Flavours, Jason's Deli and Five Guys Burgers and Fries.
Retail stores include locally-owned 2nd Edition Book Sellers, Brighton Collectibles, Brooks Brothers, CNBC News, Hudson News, Life is Good/Kids Works, PGA Tour Shop and Pylones, a unique gift shop.
Art in Terminal 2
Art is an important part of the Terminal 2 experience. Each of the eight art installations support the theme “handmade and mind made,” which drives the building’s architectural design and airport-wide art program.
“The art in Terminal 2 offers passengers a respite from their travels by providing pieces that are whimsical, fascinating and reflective of North Carolina,” said RDU Director of Marketing Teresa Damiano.
With the opening of the second phase, passengers will see for the first time Robert Kushner’s Welcome, featured along the arrivals corridor. Other works include Lydia Rubio's Gate of Air, the companion to Gate of Earth, which debuted in 2008, and Mei-ling Hom’s Cloudscape.
The centerpiece of the terminal is Ed Carpenter's Triplet, located in the central atrium. The sculpture features refined, hand-finished materials as reminders of North Carolina's legacy of craftsmanship. Wood masts, tipped with dichroic glass and LED lighting, are suspended from stainless steel cables. The sculpture creates triangular forms on the ceiling and floor that suggest the Research Triangle Region.
A ribbon cutting commemorating the completion of the terminal will be held on Mon., Jan. 24 at 4:30 p.m. in the Terminal 2 ticketing lobby.
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