The new Terminal B Concourse at Mineta San Jose International Airport in California opened its first six gates today. The 380,000 sq ft, $342 million concourse is the first element of the airport’s extensive $1.3 billion modernization program, and will ultimately integrate with the new Terminal B opening summer 2010.

Gensler, in collaboration with Steinberg Architects, served as master design architect for the airport, creating a design that evokes the high-tech landscape of the Silicon Valley while celebrating the area’s sunny climate and agrarian roots. Inside, the concourse has the feel of a sunlit paseo, with a dramatic curved translucent roof featuring fabric panels to filter the direct sunlight and absorb sound. On the exterior, the long and cable-like outer layer expresses the area’s technological design heritage while efficiently shading the inner core of the building.