Even as the Changi Airport Group is developing the new Terminal 4 which will open by 2017, Singaporeans can look forward to a fifth terminal in the next decade.

Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew announced this on Tuesday at a dinner recognising Changi Airport's airline partners. He said that more details on the air hub's long-term masterplan will also be revealed by the end of this year. Read his full speech further down this article.

Changi Airport Group announced that it has appointed an architect and design consortium to pilot the overall architecture, design concept and construction of Changi Airport's Terminal 4.

Members of the appointed Consortium include:

• SAA Architects Pte Ltd – Lead Agency
• Benoy Ltd
• AECOM Singapore Pte Ltd
• Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner (SEA) Pte Ltd

SAA Architects is one of Singapore's leading architecture firms.  It has bagged numerous Building and Construction Authority Green Mark Awards for projects such as nex and Jem.  International design firm Benoy is recognised for works such as ION Orchard.  AECOM Singapore and Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner (SEA) are renowned civil and structural engineering, and mechanical and electrical engineering consultants respectively.

The appointment of the Consortium follows a design competition which saw five consortia comprising Singapore and internationally renowned firms submitting proposals. 

The Consortium is now working closely with CAG's operations and development teams to integrate operational requirements into the design of T4 to ensure that the unique Changi Experience is preserved and further enhanced for travellers and staff working in the terminal. 

Workshops will be conducted with various stakeholders, including airlines, groundhandlers, immigration and security agencies, retail and food & beverage operators as well as other users to ensure that the T4 design meets the needs of each party.  The end objective is to ensure that T4, when operational, will deliver a seamless and refreshing experience for travellers, and also be a place where staff will feel proud and motivated to work.

The two-storey terminal is being designed with the flexibility to meet the operational needs of both regional full service and low cost carriers.  Demolition of the previous Budget Terminal is almost complete and groundbreaking for T4 is scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year, with operations to begin in 2017.  The plans and designs for T4 are being fine-tuned and will be released when ready.

Mr Yam Kum Weng, CAG's Executive Vice President (Air Hub & Development), said, "We thank the many participants in our competition.  We were impressed with their passion in wanting to help shape Changi Airport's future.  The SAA-led consortium delivered the best proposal which encapsulated our vision for T4 by breaking new ground in passenger experience for travellers, while ensuring smooth and efficient operations for airlines and airport agencies.

Mr Yam added, "Architecturally, the design of T4 will be functional, and yet have its own distinct character compared to the other three terminals at Changi Airport.  Due to height restrictions and the area of the site available, T4 will be smaller in terms of physical space and handling capacity.  Our focus for the development of T4 will be on its interior and ensuring that the design and layout continues to be passenger-centric and user-friendly.  It will offer what passengers want – a good range of leisure amenities, convenient facilities and attractive commercial offerings."

Mr Yeo Siew Haip, Managing Director of SAA Architects and Project Director for the development of Terminal 4, said, "SAA Architects has been making our mark on cosmopolitan skylines across the region.  We are honoured to be appointed the Lead Agency for the T4 project.  Our role is to lead and manage the consortium of specialist consultants from 13 different companies and to work closely with CAG to meet the requirements of multiple stakeholders, in order to deliver the new terminal within three years.  We are committed to bring the travellers' experience to new heights, contributing to Singapore's goal of being a leading aviation hub."

Mr David Buffonge, Design Director of Benoy Ltd, said, "We are extremely excited to bring Benoy's philosophy and reputation of delivering creative yet commercially viable designs to the prestigious T4 development, to be built at Singapore Changi Airport.  Our successful scheme will generate a distinct personality for T4, celebrating the notions of energy and movement whilst embracing timeless yet dynamic design attributes to create a truly unique ‘sense of place' for the scheme, allowing visitors to make the most of their travel time in a serene setting."

Here is Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew's full speech related to T5:

Mr Liew Mun Leong, Chairman of Changi Airport Group, Mr Lee Seow Hiang, Chief Executive Officer of Changi Airport Group, Ladies and Gentlemen,

A very good evening. It gives me great pleasure to join you for tonight's Changi Airline Awards.

2012 was a record-breaking year for Singapore aviation. Passenger traffic grew year-on-year by an impressive 10%, and Changi Airport crossed the 50 million passengers mark for the first time. Only six other airports in the world move more than 50 million international travellers a year. This achievement is all the more impressive if you consider that we passed the 40 million passengers mark only two years ago in 2010.

However, our airfreight sector continues to be affected by lacklustre demand amidst a turbulent world economy. This is reflected in the 3.2% decline in Changi's air cargo volumes in 2012 compared to the previous year. Of some consolation is the fact this is less severe than the 5.5% decline in air cargo traffic experienced by airlines across the Asia Pacific as a whole.

In terms of connectivity, Changi Airport has continued to grow its network, with 107 airlines providing links to more than 250 cities in 62 countries. Last year, Changi Airport welcomed four new airlines and expanded its footprint into fast-growing secondary cities across the Asia Pacific, such as Australia's Gold Coast, Visakhapatnam in India, Kota Bharu in Malaysia, Iloilo in the Philippines, and Taiyuan, Qingdao and Tianjin in China.

To pave the way for the further growth of our aviation sector, the Government concluded eight new Air Services Agreements in 2012 and expanded five existing ones. More recently, this year, we expanded our bilateral air services agreements with India, Indonesia and Russia in light of growing traffic demand.

All in, 2012 was a good year for Singapore air transport. Our success would certainly not have been possible without our airline partners.

For 2013, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has forecast that airlines' prospects will improve, though it cautioned that it would be a year with more downside risks than upward potential. Amidst the headwinds, the Asia Pacific region is expected to continue to perform better than the rest of the world.

Indeed, the huge and rising middle income groups in China and India mean that these countries will be markets of foremost importance in the coming years. Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia and Thailand, also has dynamic economies that are fuelling rising incomes and driving sustained growth in travel demand. Changi is well-poised to benefit from the growth in these markets.

There are, however, also challenges that Changi must meet. We are witnessing fundamental shifts in the global aviation landscape. Traditional alliances amongst airlines are changing, with new partnerships being formed. Established full service carriers are re-tailoring their business model and product and service offerings to meet changing customer preferences and needs. Some are even entering the low-cost carrier (LCC) market in order to protect their market share.

Changi Airport needs to respond to these changes, and take advantage of them where we can, to capture our share of the growing pie and cement our position as a leading aviation hub. It must continue to be a welcoming platform for a variety of airline business models, offering a cost-efficient and superior value proposition. Amidst rising competition, Changi's management must persist to make every effort to promote and support the growth of our air hub's connectivity - both along existing routes and to promising new markets near and far.

In this regard, I am pleased to note that the Changi Airport Group (CAG) has been responsive to the competitive pressures and changing business environment. Changi Connects is a good example - a new innovative service which facilitates passengers' do-it-yourself transfers between LCCs.

Partnership for Future Growth

For Singapore aviation to continue to grow and thrive, all stakeholders must also work together and plan ahead together. To fully benefit from our air hub's potential, infrastructure planning and development is key. The strong growth in recent years makes it imperative for us to enhance Changi Airport's capacity. This is where I am particularly encouraged by the strong partnership across the stakeholders. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has been working closely with CAG and airlines on a roadmap to increase the aircraft handling capacity of the present two runways, with plans underway for the conversion of Changi's Runway 3 for civil co-use in due course.

On the passenger front, CAG is developing the new Terminal 4 (T4), with inputs from airlines and other stakeholders, such as the ground handlers. I understand that T4 will be designed to facilitate quick flight turnarounds in line with the LCC operating model, as well as to handle the short-haul flights of full-service carriers. CAG will also redevelop the Terminal 1 car park into a multi-use complex. When these developments are completed, Changi Airport will be able to handle 85 million passenger movements a year, providing enough room for airlines' growth this decade.

We are not stopping here. As you are aware, the inter-agency Changi 2036 Steering Committee chaired by Minister of State Josephine Teo has been working hard to develop the long-term master plan for Changi Airport, including a Terminal 5. The Committee expects to announce the details by the end of this year.

Even as we plan boldly for the future, we must also work to raise our productivity and efficiency in the present. Amidst a tightening manpower landscape, CAAS has launched an Airport Productivity Steering Committee, together with CAG, airlines, airport service providers and other government agencies, to catalyse efforts to take Changi's productivity to even higher levels. In 2012, CAAS also expanded the scope of the Aviation Innovation Programme (AIP) to encourage companies to embark on innovative ways to achieve transformative productivity goals. Service innovation, productivity and efficiency considerations will be cornerstones of our planning of airport developments, such as the forthcoming T4, as well as refurbishments to Changi's existing facilities.

Another key area where we must uphold Changi Airport's edge is on-time departure. I am encouraged that with coordinated action by CAAS, CAG and the airlines, departure delays have been sharply reduced and are now back to pre-2011 levels. In the 12 month period to March 2013, the percentage of departing flights that were delayed was about 40% lower than in the preceding period. This was despite aircraft movements increasing by nearly 8% in 2012 and 4% in the first three months of 2013.

Throughout these efforts - to boost productivity and service, and to plan ahead to deliver on Changi's potential - the Government will provide resolute support. We are determined to entrench Changi Airport as an aviation powerhouse, not just regionally, but globally as well.

The annual Changi Airline Awards celebrates the strong partnership between Changi Airport and its airline partners, without which Changi's success as a leading aviation hub would not be possible. Changi Airport's recent clinching of Skytrax's World's Best Airport award is an affirmation of this strong partnership.

On this note, I would like to thank all of you for making 2012 a milestone year for Singapore aviation. I would like to encourage you to continue to work closely together in the year ahead, so that we can build on the success of 2012 and continue to make Changi the hub of choice for airlines and air travellers.

It leaves me now to extend my heartiest congratulations to this year's recipients of the Changi Airline Awards, and to wish all of you a pleasant evening. Thank you.