The Journey Before A Journey

Uncanny, Transition, Experience

Modern airports are commonly regarded as quintessential 'non-places,' with their meticulously crafted designs placing functionality at the forefront. In this context, efficiency, capacity, and safety become the utmost concerns for every airport, surpassing mere convenience and forming the cornerstone of their existence. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), as one of the world's busiest aviation hubs, adeptly intertwines efficiency, capacity, and safety within the intricate fabric of considerations. Amidst this intricate backdrop, it seamlessly integrates with the city's public transportation system, assuming an irreplaceable role within the complex tapestry of Los Angeles' Autopia.

Retrospectively reviewing history, the foundations of Los Angeles International Airport were laid in the 1950s and 1960s. Over the years, the airport has undergone multiple rounds of renovation and expansion, evolving in tandem with advancing aviation technology and the demands of passengers and cargo. Notably, despite these transformations, LAX continues to adeptly address the triad of efficiency, capacity, and safety. Several sprawling terminals, runways extending to the horizon, and the iconic observation tower—these architectural components stand as testaments to LAX's bustling efficiency. However, this architectural prowess and its integration into the urban landscape have not come without certain sacrifices, particularly concerning the human-scale experience.

Undoubtedly, the evolution of Los Angeles International Airport is intricately linked to its immersion in the city's foundational infrastructure, epitomized by ceaseless vehicular flow. While this synergy is crucial for the airport's efficiency and transportation convenience, it inadvertently casts a shadow over the human elements. The human-scale experience often diminishes due to the necessity of accommodating vast human traffic, vehicular movement, and cargo transport. Consequently, the inherent contradiction between functionality and human-centric design has emerged, necessitating a novel outlook on LAX's future.

Against the backdrop of LAX's illustrious history and its unquestionably utilitarian approach, the concept of enriching diverse spatial experiences takes center stage. However, while charting the course for renovation, a delicate balance must be struck—strengthening the connection between individuals, architecture, urban landscapes, and spatial dimensions without compromising the airport's functionality or adversely affecting the surrounding Autopia ecosystem. The immediate priority is to forge an innovative nexus where form and function, human experience, and operational efficacy harmoniously intersect.

This project endeavors not only to reshape Los Angeles International Airport into a space transcending its non-place origins but also to redefine its role within the Los Angeles ecosystem. Envisioning the airport as more than a mere transit point, but as a new 'place,' a 'Journey before a Journey,' heralds a revolution in design. This portends the creative redesign of transitional spaces within LAX, enhancing their intrigue. To minimize the impact on the existing airport systems, the extensive parking facilities within LAX will be relocated underground, making room for several interconnected walkways, office and commercial spaces, as well as appropriate botanical ecosystems above ground. This fosters an organic connection between architecture and the human psyche, ensuring that the airport ceases to be a disappointing terminus but instead a captivating commencement.

In the course of this discourse, the notion of a 'fifth ecology' is introduced and explored, drawing reference from urbanist Reyner Banham's conception of Los Angeles' four ecologies. Within a city characterized by unbridled expansion of urban landscapes, the concept of ecology extends beyond conventional environmental concerns, transforming into a synthesis of spaces, experiences, and interconnectivity. By grafting this novel perspective onto the airport's transformation, an expedition into new domains of urban evolution commences—a quest to uncover the symbiotic relationship between the airport, its users, urban ecology, and natural ecosystems, ultimately culminating in a harmonious fifth ecology.

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Yanchu Liu

The Journey Before A Journey

Uncanny, Transition, Experience