LAX Wayfinding

Los Angeles

Conversely, the complex and expansive wayfinding challenges associated with renovation and expansion projects requires a level of coordination and guidance that is unprecedented at LAX. In order to meet these needs, wayfinding takes on a significant level of importance in delivering an exceptional customer experience at LAX.

Paul Murdoch Architects led an environmental graphics team, in coordination with LAWA’s Signage and Graphics department, to create Wayfinding Strategic Guidelines that establishes a governing policy to be applied uniformly to all new construction, modernization or renovation projects, and existing terminals. These strategic guidelines form a foundation of continuity, connectivity, and consistency necessary to create an empowering and seamless wayfinding customer experience airport wide.

Project detail

The APM, a monorail-like system, will operate along a 2.25-mile elevated guideway with six stops between a new LAX Consolidated Rental Car Facility and the Central Terminal Area. The APM will have nine total trains, each operating in four-car sets capable of containing up to 200 passengers. Total project costs are estimated at $4.9 billion. When completed, the new APM will provide the long-sought link between Metro Rail and LAX, with construction set to begin in the coming years on a $600 million light rail station that will connect to the new Crenshaw/LAX line, the Green Line and various local and regional buses.

As a certified SBE firm, Paul Murdoch Architects acted as an architectural advisor to the winning LAX Integrated Express Solutions public-private partnership team providing aesthetic guidance for architecture and urban design, graphic design and visualization of the proposed user experience and architecture that includes stations, inter-modal facilities, public open spaces and so-called WOW features that will animate the LAX customer experience through this prominent Los Angeles gateway. The team provided the only proposal that scored well in these areas of the selection criteria.

Utility relocation and surveying for the APM began in 2018, with construction of the guideway started in 2019. By the end of 2019, construction began on the APM stations, and delivery of the first vehicles followed by the end of 2023. Construction will mostly be complete by 2023, allowing for system testing prior to an expected opening date in 2024.