In five years' time, the newly rebuilt Salt Lake City Airport will be open to passengers and flights, and details of what it will look like were recently revealed. The ambitious plan is set to revitalize the outdated passenger terminal and provide "an immediate sense of place," according to Airport Executive Director Maureen Riley.

At the heart of the plans, first announced in 2006, is the need to upgrade and replace the cramped existing terminal, along with a number of other improvements to the airfield. It is being used as an opportunity to celebrate much of what is special about the location and surroundings through several innovative designs.

In the center of the new terminal is an area called the Canyon that will house retail, dining and security screening areas. Its rock-inspired walls will form part of a large sculpture by local artist Gordon Huether, and large glass windows in the building will offer vistas of the Wasatch and Oquirrh mountain ranges that surround the airport.

"By bringing the beauty of the environment into the facility and incorporating sustainable design strategies that create a healthy, pleasant atmosphere, the terminal becomes an extension of that experience," said Robert Chicas, director of HOK Aviation + Transportation, which is designing the new building.

Ground-breaking for the new terminal actually took place in July 2014. It is being constructed to the south of the existing five-concourse terminal at an estimated cost of $1.8 billion — much of which is being paid for by federal funding and user fees. Once complete, the existing terminal will be demolished, leaving space for future expansion or a second terminal to be built should demand arise.

In the center of the new terminal is an area called the Canyon that will house retail, dining and security screening areas.

At the recent unveiling of the new terminal design, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker lauded the "convenient, inspiring and sustainable" nature of the new 1.7 million square-foot terminal and its environmentally friendly design. The plan includes energy-efficient lighting and glazing, and it has even taken into account fuel efficiency when designing the layout of the aprons and aircraft gates in relation to the runways and taxiways. The airport has a target of LEED Gold certification as part of its efforts to minimize its environmental footprint.

Salt Lake City Airport's main business is its association with Delta Air Lines. The carrier operates a hub at the airport (its fourth largest), with feeder, regional and international flights. The hub has seen numerous ups and downs over the past two decades, but is currently enjoying growth and is set to commence new gateway international service to London Heathrow in 2016. Also significant is Southwest Airlines, which accounts for 11 percent of the market share.

Airport officials hope that the new terminal — replacing some 50-year-old facilities — will put it in the big leagues of gateway cities with its modern design and passenger-pleasing facilities. Equally, it hopes the cost improvements will encourage Delta and other customer airlines to retain and even increase services.

However, with a capacity of 23 million passengers per year, and close to 22 million already handled in 2014, there would not be too much room for growth before the option on a second new terminal and the planned fourth runway is taken.