Aviation for a changing world: Meet Jonathan Rushmore
In this Aviation for a changing world blog series, we’re highlighting our global aviation experts illustrating our master planning, terminal design, digital, ESG and cargo expertise to create seamless and memorable airport experiences.
Jonathan Rushmore is Vice President & Principal Architect with over two decades’ worth of experience in transportation architecture, with a focus on transit and aviation projects. His expertise lies in managing design teams, solving complex design challenges, and driving innovation and sustainability in project delivery. Jonathan’s work is characterized by ensuring timely, effective project completion and a deep commitment to enhancing passenger experiences.
Tell us a bit about yourself – your role and career journey.
My career has focused on transportation architecture, primarily on transit and aviation projects in the United States. Throughout my 20+ years career, I’ve had the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to several high-profile and impactful projects in the sector, taking on roles that span design, technical and project management, and emphasize the adoption of technology, design and delivery innovation.
I’m currently Vice President at AECOM where I delve into architectural design, complex project delivery and transportation terminal planning. I have had the privilege of leading design teams in tackling complex design challenges across a diverse array of transportation architecture projects, including Boston Logan Terminal E Modernization, BWI Air Tower and FAA Facility and Tampa Airside A & E Expansion. I’ve been fortunate to be supported by mentors that have led to my success, and I try to propagate that culture to those around me. In addition to managing and mentoring really talented and dedicated teams, I’m always concentrating on ensuring that our solutions are both innovative and sustainable for our clients. This blend of teamwork and deep sector expertise has equipped me to drive excellence in every project we undertake.
Success on complex projects hinges on listening, collaboration and clear communication, with shared goals. Empowering and leveraging diverse expertise of all around you allows for a culture and solutions that always exceed the sum of their parts.
How do you approach designing airport terminals that elevate the passenger experience to new heights?
A key element in designing an effective airport terminal is understanding the diverse needs of different passenger types. For example, frequent business travelers who know exactly where they’re going, large families traveling together, others who need consideration with mobility or reading signage — all require a terminal that accommodates their specific requirements. Our aim is to ensure that all passenger types feel that the terminal has a path designed specifically for them. To achieve this, we utilize data evaluation, simulations, insights from our People + Places advisory practice and imaginative design to intimately understand the passenger experience.
As an architect, seeing how different passengers engage with the terminal space we have designed is incredibly rewarding. Extended post occupancy observations provide reinforcement to design decisions and lessons learned. Feedback from passengers provides valuable qualitative data and insights into how the space and architecture impact their journey, allowing us to continuously improve our designs and further enhance the passenger experience.
Our aim is to ensure that all passenger types feel that the terminal has a path designed specifically for them.
What role does technology play in the design and development of modern aviation terminals, and how do you integrate these technologies into your projects?
Technology plays an immense role in designing and developing today’s aviation terminals. These projects are heavily driven by data and metrics, such as passenger numbers, flight schedules, and processing speeds individual processing front of house and back of house elements, including at TSA checkpoints, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and baggage systems. This quantitative information constitutes the basis for determining the size and layout of programmatic spaces which we then design, simulate and future proof.
We have successfully leveraged virtual reality (VR) to help our clients, stakeholders and occupiers visualize concepts, ensuring team buy-in and addressing questions about the look, feel and functionality of the design. We go beyond 3D modeling, which is essential for maintaining operational capacity during construction. And we use phasing and time-based modeling and collaborate closely with construction managers and builders to align with our client’s standard operating procedures, ensuring uninterrupted project delivery. Mandating that all our trade partners design in a 3D environment ensures comprehensive coordination from design through construction, expediting multi-discipline shop drawing reviews.
Upon project completion, we deliver federated design and construction twins that provide valuable information for asset management and operations. As we hand the project over to our clients post construction, the federated design and construction twins contain information that accommodate asset management and operations and can be adopted into the client’s facility management system, ensuring long-term operational efficiency and sustainability.
We have successfully leveraged virtual reality (VR) to help our clients, stakeholders, and occupiers visualize concepts, ensuring team buy-in and addressing questions about the look, feel, and functionality of the design.
Talk to us about a project that has impacted or been a major highlight of your career. How is it solving the challenges and issues our clients and communities are facing today?
All the projects and the professionals I have learned from and collaborated with have impacted my career; from helping solve project challenges, fostering team collaboration, design solutions or delivery.
The modernization and expansion of Terminal E at Boston Logan International Airport is a great example of how we’re able to embed digital and technology driven solutions. This project involved the design, fabrication, and construction delivery of complex three-dimensional spline building geometry and envelope in a multi-package fast track, managing complicated construction and phasing over and around active airport facilities without reducing operational capacity or safety for our clients, airlines or passengers.
Due to Terminal E’s fast-track construction and multiple bid package delivery, the architecture design had to accommodate steel and framing that were already in production or under construction. This required foresight, planning for out-of-tolerance work, live-monitored as-builts to confirm real-time existing conditions, and a flexible design process. Collaboration with the builder was essential to understand and adapt to changes, ensuring that any changes could be accommodated within the project boundaries. With the client, builder and consultants, we successfully delivered a world-class terminal on an accelerated schedule and compressed site. We developed processes and workflows for this project that will inform our design and delivery on all of our projects.
The modernization and expansion of Terminal E at Boston Logan International Airport is a great example of how we’re able to embed digital and technology driven solutions.