Huge construction projects are underway across Asia as countries invest in their infrastructure to boost economic development.
Such ambitious projects spas everything from new roads to bridges, ports and even airports.
One country currently modernising its transport capabilities is Cambodia, which is looking to increase the number of visitors to the country.
To that end, Cambodia has embarked on an ambitious upgrade to Phnom Penh’s international airport.
The new airport should to be able to handle six times as many passengers as it currently does.
This means that by the time it is completed, the airport will be able to process 30 million people.
The cost of the reconstruction is expected to exceed £1 billion, a record amount of money.
According to Cambodia’s Secretary of State for Aviation, most of the reconstruction was complete by early November.
At a press conference, HE Sinn Chansery Vutha told journalists: “The construction progress of Techo International Airport is currently over 90%, with more than USD 1.3 billion already spent, creating employment opportunities for over 15,000 staff and managers.”
The Techo International Airport is 20 kilometres south of Phnom Penh’s capital.
It covers more than 2,600 hectares and spans the provinces of Kandal and Takeo. It promises to enhance Cambodia’s connectivity and economic potential.
The airport design draws inspiration from local traditions and aspires to be one of the greenest in the world.
Its terminal building is housed under a single overarching roof canopy that is unique in its construction.
It is a lightweight steel grid shell supported by structural trees spanning 36 metres, with an innovative screen that filters daylight and illuminates the vast terminal space.
Flooded with natural light, it is full of lush greenery, with mature trees rising through the soaring central void and edge planting softening the interiors.
The terminal will also be almost entirely run on energy generated by an onsite photovoltaic farm.
The first phase of the airport terminal includes the central headhouse and the aerofoil wings to the north, accommodating up to 13 million passengers a year.
Subsequent phases will include the second aerofoil wing, accommodating 30 million passengers.
