At airports, look for soothing palettes, but not security checks — they’ll be invisible

panish architect LUIS VIDAL has worked on more than 30 airport designs worldwide, including the award-winning Zaragoza Airport in northeastern Spain and the beloved Queen’s Terminal at London Heathrow. His floor plans are spacious and open-ended, his interiors bathed in natural light. Few people alive have thought so carefully about the experience of being in an airport. Thanks to COVID-19, that experience is likely to change dramatically, as the architect, who is currently working on Pittsburgh International’s new terminal, explains. In Vidal’s view, the post-pandemic airport will be unlike anything we’ve seen before.