Airport with 14m high virtual waterfall

Singapore The highlight of Changi Airport's newly reopened Terminal 2 is a 14-meter-high virtual waterfall and a robot that mixes cocktails for guests.

After 3.5 years of expansion, Terminal 2 (T2) at Changi Airport fully reopened ahead of schedule in early November. The expansion of T2 gives Changi the capacity to handle an additional 5 million passengers per year, bringing the airport's total handling capacity to 90 million passengers per year.

T2’s design is inspired by nature. Natural elements are seamlessly and consistently featured throughout the terminal, from ceilings to walls, carpet patterns, and plant displays. Lush green columns contribute to a peaceful atmosphere, bringing tranquility and relaxation to passengers, according to Changi Airport.

Airport has 14-meter-high virtual waterfall and cocktail-mixing robot — New look of T2. Video: *CNA*

The terminal’s most prominent feature is in the center of the departure hall: a 14-meter-tall digital display called The Wonderfall. Set in a vertical garden, The Wonderfall blends into nature with the image of a giant virtual waterfall. Changi hopes this virtual waterfall will transport visitors to a magical world and promises to become a popular check-in spot.

Inside the transit area is a new garden called Dreamscape, with rows of trees set amid a meticulously crafted landscape, brought to life by a “digital sky” above that changes colour depending on the time of day.

During transit, travelers can stop by the newly opened Lotte Duty Free Wines & Spirits. The two-story store features a cocktail-making robot, Toni, to serve customers. Above the bar, a 30- meter-long LED ring projects an image of the moon reflecting on a lake, inspired by Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai's famous work, Drinking Alone Under the Moon.

T2 has expanded by more than 21,000 square metres to accommodate infrastructure and increase the number of service counters. With a central shared Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST) zone, the number of self-service check-in kiosks and baggage drop machines has nearly doubled. Immigration halls have been expanded, with additional lanes to help travelers avoid long queues.

T2 is also the first terminal in Changi to have an automated Special Assistance lane for people with disabilities and children when entering and exiting. The newly installed automated baggage drop-off system has a capacity to handle 2,400 suitcases.

16 airlines operate flights at T2, connecting to 40 cities. Nearly 10 million passengers have been served at T2 since May 2022 when the southern section of the terminal first reopened. By September 2023, passenger traffic at Changi was 90% of pre-pandemic levels.

“We hope T2 will set a new benchmark in customer service, hoping people will find great joy and discover wonders whenever they pass through T2,” said T2 expansion project manager Tan Lye Teck.

Anh Minh (According to STB, Changi Airport )

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