Puerta del Sur, the airport owner and operator, commissioned Rafael Viñoly Architects to design a prominent and spacious passenger terminal with special emphasis on duty-free retail space, capacity to handle one million-plus domestic and international travelers, accommodate modern aircraft, and allow for future expansion. The firm’s design – with its gentle curve and low profile monolithic roof inspired by the rolling dunes along Uruguay’s coastline – elevates the public zones, including the secure runway-side concourse as well as the fully accessible roadside departure hall and terrace, by providing amenities such as open space, natural light, restaurants, duty-free retail, and landscaping, all housed beneath a gently curved roof 1200 feet in length. Arrivals and departures are separated by floor, with arrivals on the ground level, departures on the first floor, and vehicular access roads that service each level independently. A public, landscaped terrace occupies the second floor above the departures level. This terrace can be accessed without passing through security, allowing non-traveling friends and family elevated views of the runway and the departures hall and features a restaurant and space for commercial and cultural uses.