Work starts on £1bn Heathrow T2 scheme
by Pete Hayman | 30 Apr 2010
Demolition work has started at London's Heathrow Airport's first terminal building, which is making way for the development of a new £1bn replacement.
The facility, which was originally designed by architect Frederick Gibberd and officially opened in 1955, was renamed Terminal 2 in 1969 upon the completion of the existing Terminal 1. Forming part of airport operator BAA's wider £4.8bn investment in improving facilities at Heathrow, the new T2 was designed by London-based architects Foster + Partners.
HETCo - comprising Ferrovial Agroman and Laing O'Rourke - has been appointed to deliver the facility, which will boast more than 11,000sq m (118,403sq ft) of floor space for self-service check-in facilities and 15 security search lanes.Plans also incorporate a two-level departure lounge with large windows to reduce the need for artificial lighting and solar panels to further reduce energy dependency. The new T2 will provide a home for the 25 airlines comprising the Star Alliance network and is scheduled to open in 2014. The former Terminal 2 site will also be redeveloped.
BAA chief executive Colin Matthews said: "Heathrow is changing for the better, and there is much still to do. Our brand new Terminal 2 will offer a better service to airlines and millions of passengers."
Demolition work has started at London's Heathrow Airport's first terminal building, which is making way for the development of a new £1bn replacement. The facility, which was originally designed by architect Frederick Gibberd and officially opened in 1955, was renamed Terminal 2 in 1969 upon the completion of the existing Terminal 1. Forming part of airport operator BAA's wider £4.8bn investment in improving facilities at Heathrow, the new T2 was
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by Helen Andrews | 03 Jun 2026
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by Helen Andrews | 06 May 2026
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by Kath Hudson | 04 May 2026
A wellness club opens on London’s River Thames in June, offering luxury facilities and personalised wellness protocols focused on recovery and longevity. Sæl Spa at Fulham Pier – London’s new lifestyle destination on the River Thames – will be set across four floors and has been conceived as a “modern British sanctuary.” Facilities include a 15-metre heated rooftop infinity pool and sun terrace and a movement studio with integrated infrared
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by Helen Andrews | 30 Apr 2026
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by Magali Robathan | 21 Apr 2026
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by Magali Robathan | 18 Apr 2026
The much-anticipated V&A East Museum has opened in Stratford, east London, UK. Designed by architects O’Donnell + Tuomey, the new branch of the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) is a cornerstone of the East Bank cultural complex in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Intended as a legacy for the 2012 London Olympics, the project was inspired by the cultural boom in South Kensington after the 1851 Great Exhibition and London's
David Geffen galleries open at LACMA
by Magali Robathan | 21 Apr 2026
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New venue The Lands by Capella includes a longevity centre to complement sister hotel Capella Sydney
by Helen Andrews | 20 Apr 2026
The heritage-listed Department of Lands building in Sydney, Australia, has relaunched as a major cultural and events destination, as part of a mixed-use redevelopment of two iconic buildings known collectively as the Sandstone Precinct. Singapore-based Pontiac Land Group owns the property, as well as the building next door that was the former Department of Education building. The two-phase restoration project has seen Pontiac turn the Department of Education building into
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by Magali Robathan | 16 Apr 2026
World of Frozen has opened at Disney Adventure World in Disneyland Paris with new offerings across the entire park. The expansion almost doubles the size of Disneyland Paris, immersing guests in a life-size recreation of the Kingdom of Arendel. The World of Frozen features a Tangled -inspired attraction, 14 new dining locations and a large lake debuting a new night-time spectacular. It also features a daytime celebration, themed shopping, and
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by Helen Andrews | 14 Apr 2026
The €200m (US$221.3 million, £169.7 million) Pical Resort, Valamar Collection has opened in Croatia with the country’s first ESPA spa. Valamar Riviera, a Croatian tourism company and hotel operator has revealed the 514-key property in Poreč, Istria. The development of the Pical Resort represents Valamar’s largest investment to date. The accommodation is split into the following options: the Pical Hotel, the luxury all-inclusive Pical Family Hotel, the exclusive Pical Suites
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by Helen Andrews | 13 Apr 2026
The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has revealed plans to expand its presence in Egypt with the renovation and operation of two historic hotel properties and the brand’s first-ever luxury river cruise. In 2022, Mandarin Oriental announced it would open its first Egyptian property, Mandarin Oriental Shepheard in Cairo. The hotel is undergoing a comprehensive renovation and is due to open in 2027. Ownership and development The river cruise, Old Cataract
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by Helen Andrews | 27 Mar 2026
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by Helen Andrews | 05 Mar 2026
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by Helen Andrews | 04 Mar 2026
Design firm 4a Architekten has shared details of the recently-completed extension to the wellness facilities at destination spa park Salinarium Bad Dürkheim Thermal Spa in Germany. The upgrades to the leisure pool facility, which has been in operation since 1984, included the addition of a thermal spa and sauna in a new building that integrated sensitively into the landscape. Commissioned by the facility’s operator, utility company Stadtwerke Bad Dürkheim, the
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