Australia’s New Mass Timber Airport Terminal Takes Shape on Sunshine Coast Ahead of 2027

A landmark airport project is taking shape in Queensland as the Sunshine Coast Airport redevelopment reaches a major construction milestone. Around 30 tonnes of engineered timber are being installed for a new departures hall, marking an important stage in the ambitious $170 million terminal project. On completion in 2027, the building is intended to become Australia’s first mass timber airport terminal.

Its exposed timber structure has been selected to reflect the region’s subtropical setting while lowering the environmental impact of construction. For travellers, the development is also being designed to offer a calmer airport experience through natural materials and architecture.

$170 Million Sunshine Coast Airport Redevelopment Reaches Major Construction Milestone

The new structure is being assembled using glue-laminated timber, also called glulam or GLT. Its distinctive raking roof frames have been designed by the Australian team of Populous: Fentress Studios, working with builder McNab. Specialist timber engineering advice is being provided by Theca Timber, while installation is expected to continue over the coming weeks as the departures hall takes shape.

The timber elements will serve both structural and visual purposes within the departures hall. Their installation has been described by Sunshine Coast Airport’s general manager of projects and planning, Robin Mace, as a significant step towards realising a vision shaped with community input. The roof frames are expected to become one of the terminal’s most recognisable features.

Through this Sunshine Coast Airport terminal upgrade, a sizeable investment is being made in the region’s aviation infrastructure. The project is scheduled for completion in 2027, although no specific opening day has been stated in the information provided.

Glulam Roof Frames Mark a Distinctive Development in Australian Aviation

The use of roughly 30 tonnes of glulam is considered unusual for a terminal of this size. Matt Findlay, principal and head of aviation for Asia-Pacific at Populous: Fentress Studios, explained that steel and concrete would normally be used for comparable airport buildings. The decision to incorporate timber at this scale was presented as a defining architectural choice for a regional Australian aviation project.

To illustrate the quantity involved, the timber’s weight has been compared with that of an adult humpback whale, a familiar visitor to waters off the Sunshine Coast during its annual migration.

Australia’s first mass timber airport terminal is therefore being shaped around a material rarely used so extensively in similar aviation projects. The exposed frames are intended to distinguish the building from more conventional terminal interiors without sacrificing their essential role in supporting the roof.

Sustainable Airport Terminal Design Introduces Nature-Inspired Passenger Experience

Passenger wellbeing has been placed at the centre of the terminal concept. Noise, crowds and navigation demands can make airport journeys stressful, and the design has been developed to respond to those pressures. Instead of relying solely on hard industrial surfaces, warm timber finishes will be displayed prominently across the building.

This approach has been informed by biophilic design, through which connections with the natural world are incorporated into built spaces. Sustainable airport terminal design is being linked here with a more welcoming passenger environment, although no measured reduction in traveller stress has been reported.

Sean Powyer, associate principal and architect at Populous: Fentress Studios, said the sloping timber frames had been intended as a gateway between everyday pressures and the Sunshine Coast’s relaxed atmosphere. The material choice was also connected to the nearby subtropical rainforest. Powyer highlighted the region’s UNESCO Biosphere landscape and described the airport as a gateway to three Australian Biosphere Reserves.

Carbon Emissions Savings and Airport Connectivity Strengthen Redevelopment Focus

Environmental performance has also influenced material selection. Compared with a conventional approach using steel and concrete, an estimated Global Warming Potential saving of approximately 40 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent has been identified for the timber choice. The figure refers to embodied carbon associated with building materials, rather than emissions from aircraft operations.

The Sunshine Coast Airport redevelopment is being positioned around several sustainability principles, with engineered timber forming a prominent structural element. Sustainable airport terminal design is thus being expressed through both the roof structure and the passenger setting.

The airport currently lists connections with Adelaide, Auckland, Cairns, Melbourne and Sydney, alongside Singapore via Bali. Services are supported by Air New Zealand, Alliance Airlines, Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia. No new fares, routes or ticketing arrangements have been announced as part of this construction milestone. The Sunshine Coast Airport terminal upgrade remains a construction project, with completion planned for 2027.

Australia’s Timber Airport Terminal Moves Towards 2027 Completion

The installation of engineered timber represents a visible advance for the Sunshine Coast Airport redevelopment, with around 30 tonnes being incorporated into its distinctive roof frames. The $170 million project is intended to deliver Australia’s first mass timber airport terminal when construction finishes in 2027.

Environmental goals have been reflected in an estimated saving of 40 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, while biophilic design has been adopted to make the passenger setting feel more welcoming. As construction continues, the terminal’s emerging structure is being used to connect aviation infrastructure with the Sunshine Coast’s wider coastal landscape and distinctive regional identity.