Land Port Terminal

For most people a border crossing is a sequence of queues: customs, then immigration, then security. An Integrated Check Post, or land port, gathers these functions into one place. That changes the crossing for travellers and traders, and it changes the building. The task becomes one of arranging a clear route through a set of linked controls under one roof.

A single window

Customs clears cargo, goods and personal belongings. Immigration handles identification, visas and passports. Border security keeps the crossing safe and lawful. Around them sit the other services a crossing depends on, so that a traveller or trader can settle every requirement in one place rather than moving from office to office.

• Quarantine
• Financial and regulatory agencies
• Foreign exchange bureaus
• Tourist information

Passengers and cargo

A land port serves two very different kinds of movement. Travellers need a passenger terminal that is clear, calm and welcoming. It is the face of the crossing, meant to make a border feel orderly rather than daunting. Goods need warehousing, cargo handling and scanning that can deal with large volumes. Planning for both, while keeping transit short and avoiding bottlenecks, is the central question of the design.

The terminal is designed with environmentally responsible practices and good road connections. Its success is measured quietly: a shorter wait at a counter, and a truck that clears inspection and moves on.