Heathrow Terminal 5

London

Richard Rogers Partnership was selected to design the terminal in 1989 and BAA formally announced its proposal for T5 in May 1992, submitting a formal planning application on 17 February 1993. Lerch Bates began working with Richard Rogers Partnership in 1993 to look at the concept planning of the vertical circulation between the main terminal building and the many below ground train and underground services.

Construction began in September 2002 with earth works for the construction of the buildings’ foundation. In November of the following year, work started on the steel superstructure of the main terminal building. By January 2005 the nine separate tunnels needed to provide road and rail access, and to provide drainage, were completed.
At peak there were around 8,000 people working on the construction site, whilst over the life of the project over 60,000 people have been involved.

Queen Elizabeth II officially opened Terminal 5 in a ceremony on 14 March 2008. Used exclusively by British Airways, the terminal opened for passenger use on 27 March 2008, with Flight 26 from Hong Kong its first arrival at 04:50 GMT. The first departure was Flight 302 to Paris at 06:20 GMT.