Located on Hulhule Island in the Northern part of the Maldives archipelago (1,200 islands), Velana International Airport (VIA) is the country's main gateway, close to the capital, Malé. The development of the airport is a major challenge for the country, and the construction of a new international terminal is necessary to meet the growth in regional and international traffic. This new building, with a surface area of more than 102,000 m² when completed, will be able to accommodate 7.5 million passengers while offering a quality of service that meets international standards. The terminal consists of six gates and can be expanded to nine gates.

The Terminal is accompanied by a technical building and new road infrastructure to ensure seamless connections to the city and the sea.

The landside façade is a long wave undulating over nearly 530 metres. The wave crests open up the façade and create protective canopies against the sun and tropical weather, while the wave troughs are filled with perforated GRC panels in a pattern inspired by local heritage. Behind it, a glass and opaque façade incorporates the terminal entrance halls, sheltered by the roof overhang.

On the Seaside/Airside, the façade is made up of large rectangular glass panels and opaque panels. The pre-boarding bridges connect to this façade to provide direct access to arrivals or departures at each aircraft stand.
Upon disembarking, passengers pass through a fully glazed gallery on the sea side, immersing them in the exceptional maritime landscape of the Maldives.

Saudi Binladin Group has been commissioned to design and build the new terminal. SETEC has been selected to carry out the Concept Design, Schematic Design and Final Design phases, as well as the BIM design. T/E/S/S has provided technical assistance on the façade works, in conjunction with the consortium's architect, 1pax.