Singapore’s Changi Airport Terminal 5 has officially broken ground
Entro is developing and designing the Terminal-wide wayfinding strategy and wayfinding & signage program for one of the largest and most exciting airport development projects in the world.
The new mega terminal will strengthen Changi Airport’s position as a leading air hub, powered by state-of-the-art airport systems and extensive automation to increase handling capacity and optimize operations as travel demand increases.
Changi Airport is the fourth busiest international air hub in the world and links Singapore directly to about 170 cities globally. When the first phase of this project opens in the mid-2030s, T5 will be able to handle about 50 million passenger movements a year.
Fostering Connections with Wayfinding
The wayfinding & signage program strategy is driven by information clarity, consistency, and system flexibility. Key to the system is a simple design framework that has the ability to adapt to the multiplicity of unique environments and functions throughout the Terminal. It complements an intuitive, connective architectural layout, featuring travellators and an automatic people mover (APM) system linking T5 to Terminal 2, a transfer node to other other terminals.
Wayfinding also facilitates the Airport’s focus on connectivity to transportation outside the terminal system: Changi Airport houses a ground transportation centre, bringing together train, bus, taxi and other transport services. Ultimately, the airport will enhance Changi’s connectivity to the rest of Singapore for travel, and also as a destination for local residents to enjoy.
A Human-Centered, Nature-Inspired Mega Terminal
The design of T5 was proposed by a consortium led by KPF, in partnership with Heatherwick Studio and architects61. Inspired by Singapore’s unique blend of nature and city, T5’s design concept is characterised by a unique collection of overlapping curved roofs. The ‘roof leaves’ break the mega terminal building into smaller spaces that are more human scale.
The T5 wayfinding system expands on our prior work with Changi Airport Group, for the signage and digital communications in Terminal 1, Project Jewel. Jewel is a major public realm attraction, with world-class leisure, shopping, and dining experiences as well as indoor gardens, all under a spectacular glass torus roof structure.
"Too often, airports are designed as pure machines for movement—efficient but impersonal, reducing passengers to mere numbers in a system. Instead, T5 is conceived as a vibrant microcity that is distinctly Singaporean — lush, layered, and deeply human. It integrates nature, cultural discovery, and moments of wonder, transforming travel from something to endure into something to enjoy."
