“When did Incheon Airport open?”
Incheon Airport opened in 2001. This year marks the airport’s 19th anniversary.
“How was Incheon Airport built?”
In this post, Incheon Airport will answer this question.
The place that we will introduced to you today is a hidden place in the airport that is lesser-known as it was recently remodeled and opened. It is a place that may be interesting to those interested in the airport’s history.
As you drive along the highway leading to Terminal 2, you will see a modern building on your left.
Voila! This is Incheon Airport Construction Management Center. Construction Management Center? For some reason, it feels like unauthorized people aren’t allowed entrance here, right? However, the twist is that ordinary people can freely access this center, not just those involved in construction.
What purpose does the Construction Management Center serve?
Construction Management Center is a place that was renovated as part of Incheon Airport’s Phase 4 Construction. What is “Phase 4 Construction”?
Incheon Airport was expanded in phases:
▲Opened in 2001 (Phase 1 Construction)
▲Opened Concourse in 2008 (Phase 2 Construction)
▲Opened Terminal 2 in 2018 (Phase 3 Construction)
The Incheon Airport Phase 4 Construction Project is a project that expands Terminal 2, builds the new Runway 4, and expands aprons from 2017 to 2024 to meet the growing demands for flights.
Phase 4 is expected to serve as the driving force for promoting the local and national economy by creating almost 60,000 jobs and generating economic effects worth KRW 13 trillion.
As such, the Construction Management Center is a space that contains the history and future of Incheon Airport’s construction.
Tips for visiting the Construction Management Center: #1 Check out the docent program
How to make your visit to the Construction Management Center worthwhile?
This is the first tip. If you decide to visit the PR Exhibition Hall on the 1st floor, do not miss out on the docent program for a vivid description of the entire Incheon Airport Construction Project!
With the kind docent’s explanation, you can learn about Incheon Airport’s construction history, get answers to any questions you might have such as how the terminal was built or how many construction workers were involved in the project, and learn about the details of the upcoming Phase 4 Construction project.
The program is provided in English, so why not visit with a friend and take some photos together? The docent program is lasts about 30 minutes and a video is also prepared available.
For those of you who are hesitant to stop by, we prepared a snippet of the docent program. Let’s begin!
When we start something from nothing, we often use the phrase, “Start from scratch.” When it comes to the construction for Incheon Airport, it may be more fitting to say, “There wasn’t even something to scratch.” It really isn’t an exaggeration as the Incheon Airport’s land was reclaimed off the coast of Yeongjongdo in 1992. The airport was then built on that land.
Starting from the entrance of this exhibition hall, visitors can check out the early days of construction through photographs of people carrying construction materials and building seawalls on the site! The world-class Incheon Airport materialized out of nothing. You may feel a sort of awe when seeing the gap between past and present.
Then, you can hear about the background of development for Incheon Airport and Phase 1 Construction, Phase 2 Construction, and Phase 3 Construction. This will give you a rough understanding of the project as a whole.
The first thing that may surprise you is why Incheon Airport is recognized as a world-class airport and the sheer scale of its construction. The second thing that may surprise you is the continued progress made by Incheon Airport that never settles and its high evaluations, such as 1st place in Airport Service Quality (ASQ) for 12 years in a row and Airports Council International (ACI)’s Airport Customer Experience Accreditation.
After learning about Phase 3, you enter the Video Room located in PR Exhibition Hall! You watch a 5-minte video clip about Phase 4 Construction.
After you watch the video clip, you can get more information about Phase 4 Construction! You cannot talk about Phase 4 Construction without talking about Terminal 2 and Runway 4. Incheon Airport’s transformation to become the world’s best airport begins with these two.
As Incheon Airport is very large in scale, it is not easy to see the entire airport at a glance.
The advantage of the docent program is that you can hear the explanations while also looking at sophisticated 3D models!
The photo on the left is a model for Terminal 2, which shows how it looked once the expansion was completed. This photo looks bigger and more awesome when looked at in real life. The photo on the right is a model for Yeongjongdo, which categorizes existing facilities (Phase 1 to 3) and expanded facilities in Phase 4 by color!
Next, Green, Art, and Smart are explained, which are key features of the Phase 4 Construction Project. You can check out the new features that are changing in Incheon Airport coinciding with Phase 4 Construction, such as its efforts to become a low-carbon eco-friendly airport that breathes with nature and the introduction of new smart technologies!!
With photos alone, there are many things to talk about, right? The docent program allows visitors to experience and understand Incheon Airport through various dimensions.
Wait! Don’t forget to make a reservation before you come visit. It is a necessary procedure to allow us to provide a more detailed and prepared program. Check the information below for making a reservation.
1) Making a reservation via phone
032-741-3296 (reservations can be made easily at least 1 week before)
2) Filling out a tour application form online
⇨ Fill out the tour application form (download link to be added) and send it to iia4th@airport.kr
3) Visiting in person
Do not visit on the weekend! We are open 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. (Please note that we care closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and other holidays!)
It is difficult to reach the Construction Management Center via public transportation. Note that you can only get here with your own car!
Tips for visiting the Construction Management Center: #2 Go to the “Observation Deck” for a great view of the sky
Be sure not to miss out on the 3rd floor of the Construction Management Center. Take the stairs from the PR Exhibition Hall to get to the 3rd floor.
This is a view from Observation Deck. You can appreciate a nice view of the sky along with the airplanes parked nearby! If you come here when the weather is good, you can take some once-in-a-lifetime photos.
This is a view of Terminal 2 as seen from Observation Deck. Like the saying, “You can see as much as you know,” wouldn’t the terminal feel different looking at it after you learn about Incheon Airport’s construction story?
From the docent program to the Observation Deck,
we have briefly introduced some tips for visiting the Incheon Airport Construction Management Center.
The center is a useful educational venue that stimulates children’s curiosity.
The center is a great place to teach your non-Korean friends the details of Incheon Airport, the pride and joy of Korea.
If you have enough time, be sure to visit the PR Hall in Terminal 2 as well!
Experience is dispersed, but when recorded, it becomes history.
As Incheon Airport is built by all of us,
we will make a great history that leads by example not just in Korea but around the world.
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