Thesis (BS Architecture) -- University of the Philippines Mindanao, 2010

With Davao City evolving into a leading metropolis in the southern Philippines and given its airport's distance from business centers and tourist destinations, the need for an adequate and efficient transport system near the airport is evident. This thesis project seeks to develop a functional design for a proposed multi-modal land transport terminal near the Davao International Airport (DIA). In order to generate a holistic and well-organized design for an Airport Gateway Terminal, four variables in space morphology were used: space syntax, wayfinding, security, airport users' transport needs. Space syntax analyses quantified the existing spatial system of the research area and found that spaces outside the Passenger Terminal Building (PTB) are poorly integrated. Moreover, wayfinding cues observed at the Davao International Airport are inadequate to guide airport users. According to key informant interviews, the existing layout of the DIA is primarily due to security measures applied to prevent congestion of people near exit and empty points of the building. Having generated facts on security management and space planning, the proponent concludes that the PTB could be made more accessible to passengers by building an Airport Gateway Terminal at the airport's land-side area, properly integrating it with the existing spatial system. For higher security, departure and arrival areas should be separated, applying first and second layers of security barriers to control crowd congestion.