Mumbai’s new Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Terminal 2 is a project of scale. The terminal claims not only the world’s longest piece of glass in the world at 15 meters tall, but also the world’s largest art program. Jaya He, the terminal’s permanent exhibition meaning glory to India, houses more than 7,000 pieces of artworks and artifacts from the region’s Maharashtra culture and greater India. The world’s busiest museum in comparison, the Louvre in Paris, welcomes just under 10 million visitors annually while Terminal 2 can accommodate up to 40 million per year. The terminal melds the modern architecture of New York-based architecture firm SOM’s futuristic flying saucer exterior with the enormity of detailed Indian artworks, such as the 1,000 chandeliers inspired by lotus flowers and a diya curtain with 10,000 diya lights welcoming guests in the check-in hall. Planners prioritized efficiency when designing the space, constructing the terminal in an X pattern to speed travelers through transit. The departures hall is also replete with an abundance of check-in, immigration, and security counters to reduce wait time. And eco-conscious travelers can rest easy with rainwater harvesting and materials in place that can reduce water usage by 20 percent and energy consumption by 23 percent.

For more information, visit Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport.