Kiku Obata & Company

The new one-million-square-foot, 33-gate Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport is the cornerstone of the airport’s redevelopment. Delivered in January 2023 by the Tutor Perini/Parsons JV design-build consortium for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), with Grimshaw as design architect and STV as executive architect, the $2.7 billion project is New Jersey’s largest design-build infrastructure initiative.

Kiku Obata & Company was commissioned to design a comprehensive signage and wayfinding program for the new terminal. The modern steel-and-glass, three-level structure replaces the original facility, offering a light-filled, open design to accommodate over 13.4 million annual passengers while enabling future growth.

The project required adapting Port Authority signage standards to address the terminal’s complex wayfinding and technological needs. Executed entirely in REVIT, the design process facilitated seamless collaboration across the large design team. The resulting system integrates minimal, highly visible signage that complements the terminal’s architecture while retaining the signature black-and-yellow Port Authority scheme.

The terminal’s design streamlines the check-in process, enhances passenger amenities, and improves security screening efficiency. Meeting LEED Silver standards, the project prioritizes energy efficiency and sustainability.