Woods Bagot, together with Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), celebrates the topping out of Midfield Satellite Concourse (MSC) South at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) alongside W.E. O’Neil, Buro Happold and other design and construction team members. The eight-gate, approximately 150,000-square-feet addition to LAX is an extension of West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal and is part of the LAWA’s multi-billion-dollar transformation.

Utilizing a first-of-its-kind Offsite Construction and Relocation (OCR) building technique, LAX’s MSC South is being built in nine segments roughly a mile and a half away from the project’s site. Once complete, these segments will be carefully delivered and assembled in place. The OCR technique is both innovative and adaptive, saving public funds and time with a high degree of building control and supervision, all while mitigating operational at the airport.

“LAX’s MSC South represents an inspiring innovation in construction that sets a new standard for how efficient and sustainable design can drive better outcomes at airports and cities at large,” said Matt Ducharme, Principal and Regional Design Director, Woods Bagot. “Inspired by California Modernism, the experience of MSC South will be unique to Los Angeles with simple but function design and views of the landscape beyond the airfield framed by the structure’s exterior shading system. Additionally, the project’s Offsite Construction and Relocation technique allows for future flexibility and resilience.”

“As we celebrate LAX’s MSC South’s Topping Out less than seven months after its Groundbreaking, I am proud to be progressing this first-of-its-kind building technique that is setting the bar for world-class design, and not just for the aviation sector,” said Bea Hsu, Interim Chief Executive Officer, LAWA. “The delivery model LAWA is innovating with our project partners at MSC South is enabling an accelerated timeline, budget control and efficiency. LAWA is grateful for the partnership of Woods Bagot, W.E. O’Neil, Buro Happold, SME Steel and the entire design and construction team for their contributions.” 

MSC South’s thoughtful design pays homage to the City of Los Angeles and celebrates the unique quality of light in Southern California. The project’s performance-driven brise soleil system – a solar shading feature on the concourse’s façade – frames sightlines of LA while emphasizing inside-out connections. This system will also enable passive cooling and energy conservation, helping the project achieve its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification goal.

“Woods Bagot is committed to our credo of People Architecture and is proud to support LAWA’s mission to create opportunities for the local community. Employing the OCR building technique for MSC South has opened new work opportunities for people and trades typically ineligible to perform work airside” notes Ducharme. 

The ceremony was attended by local Councilwoman Traci Park (Council District 11), members of the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) executives and staff and members of the design and construction team. Significant project completion is planned for 2025; further information and project updates can be found at lawa.org/transforminglax.

Media enquiries
Agna Brayshaw
Content and Communications Leader (North America)