Cover Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) is building a groundbreaking airport in Bhutan within Gelephu Mindfulness City. (Photo: Freepik)
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) is building a groundbreaking airport in Bhutan within Gelephu Mindfulness City. (Photo: Freepik)
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Bhutan challenges airport norms with a mindful hub built for the future—fusing heritage and ambition by 2029
In a move that signals a distinctive approach to modern infrastructure, Bhutan has commenced construction on Gelephu International Airport, branding it as a “mindfulness” gateway unlike any in the region. Designed to anchor the ambitious Gelephu Mindfulness City, this project aims to balance contemporary engineering with Bhutanese tradition, hinting at a sharp shift in how airports function as both transit points and cultural touchstones. The new airport is projected to welcome passengers by the end of 2029, directly reshaping the nation’s connections to the wider world.
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An airport within Gelephu Mindfulness City
Bhutan, long celebrated for its cautious embrace of tourism and its philosophy of gross national happiness, is advancing a new chapter with this international airport. Gelephu, situated in the south near the Indian border, was chosen for its gentle terrain and scope for expansion—a stark contrast to the limitations of Paro International, the country’s only current international gateway.
The facility will initially be able to accommodate 1.3 million passengers a year, with the potential to grow beyond 5 million as needed. The design, conceived by the acclaimed Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), departs from conventional airport architecture. Modular, diamond-shaped timber structures dominate, supposedly representing stylised mountains and featuring intricate local craftsmanship alongside motifs of dragons symbolising Bhutan’s past, present and future.
With 3,000 metres of runway capable of handling larger jets from the outset, Gelephu is positioned to support direct connections to wider Asia, provided airline interest matches the optimism.
Tradition meets projection
Beyond passenger numbers, the airport is a keystone for Gelephu Mindfulness City, which is intended as a business hub integrating sustainability, innovation and local customs. Features like the terminal’s four distinct zones evoke Bhutan’s forest ecosystems while the airport’s box culvert system preserves river flows beneath the runway, reflecting a clear nod to environmental stewardship. Energy efficiency and passive ventilation are promised throughout.
The project carries significant social and economic ambitions. Planners want to attract investment, boost exports and open employment pathways for Bhutan’s population of roughly 750,000. Yet with a daily sustainable development fee of US$100 for tourists and an annual pre-pandemic visitor total of just 316,000, it remains to be seen whether Bhutan’s model of “high value, low impact” tourism can scale up without compromising its celebrated equilibrium.
What is clearer is that, for all its mindfulness branding, Bhutan’s new airport is a bold bet that cultural authenticity and measured openness can coexist and maybe even thrive in a fast-changing region.
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Chonx Tibajia is a senior editor at Tatler Asia’s T-Labs team, where she writes widely on lifestyle subjects including beauty, style, entertainment and travel. She has a long career in journalism, including roles as a columnist at The Philippine Star, and is the founder of the creative platform Pineappleversed. Beyond Tatler, her bylines appear in regional lifestyle and business publications, showcasing a broad portfolio that spans beauty trends, travel guides and culture pieces.
