Canada's premier airport is undergoing a redevelopment of two of its three terminals. In place of Terminals 1 and 2, a single state-of-the-art facility will be developed that will set new standards of excellence in terminal design. Once completed to its ultimate form, the terminal complex will handle up to fifty million passengers annually. This number is more than double the current traffic levels, and will match the estimated capacity of the fully developed runway system.

It is currently estimated that there will be over $4.0 B in expenditure over the next 20 years to create groundside, terminal and apron facilities, resulting in substantial improvements in passenger convenience, operational efficiency and processing capacity. The initial stages of the project will provide five new piers radiating from a five level terminal building. There will be generous public spaces, clear and direct passenger processing, the necessary flexibility to accommodate change, and high quality support facilities for airlines, government inspection agencies and other tenants.

The new terminal will accommodate Domestic, International and pre-cleared trans-border traffic to the U.S with complete inter-sector transfer facilities available. Eighty bridge aircraft gates will be developed together with 24 commuter aircraft positions located adjacent to the terminal.

Construction has already started and the initial two stages of development will create a three pier terminal scheduled to be fully operational by approximately 2006. The fourth and fifth piers will be developed when demand requires, but are expected to be operational by 2015.

Halcrow Yolles is the structural engineer of record for the new passenger terminal facility. halcrow Yolles was involved in the early concept design of the Central Processor roof structure, in collaboration with Ove Arup and Partners. All remaining concept design, and all final Administration services were provided by Halcrow Yolles.

Key design challenges included foundation system variations to suit complex subsurface conditions; large structural roof span-to-depth ratio and numerous floor openings to maximize natural light in the departures and arrivals halls; an exposed, prestressed curtain wall support structure conveying elegance and transparency; high-lift grouting of steel tube columns; design of permanent reinforced concrete buttresses around temporary structural steel frames; design of a 70 m high apron control tower supported by the building and incorporating a tuned mass damper system; and blending architectural form with structural function and constructability to create elegant architecturally exposed structural steel details.