The airport operator has asked the top architects – Grimshaw , Zaha Hadid, HOK and Benoy – to ‘push the boundary’ of what an expanded hub airport could look like.

Visionary conceptual images have now been unveiled ahead of the next phase of the tender process to appoint a final concept designer  in July.

Zaha Hadid Vision

HOK Vision

Grimshaw Vision

Benoy Heathrow

Heathrow’s Head of Design Barry Weekes said: “From welcoming Concorde to the landmark Terminals 2 and 5, Heathrow has always been at the heart of showcasing the best of British innovation and design.

“The visionary concepts are just the start of a dialogue which will fundamentally redefine what an airport is, how it looks and feels, how it interacts with its environment and an increasingly demanding generation of new passengers and importantly enhancing how it connects with the communities around it.

“Our ambition for expansion is to transform Heathrow once again – building Britain a value for money global gateway at the forefront of sustainable development and innovative design.”