SFO’s Harvey Milk Terminal 1 Wins UNESCO-Backed Prix Versailles Award for Architectural Excellence

(IN SHORT) San Francisco International Airport’s Harvey Milk Terminal 1 has been recognized by Prix Versailles, in partnership with UNESCO, as one of the World’s Most Beautiful Airports for 2025. Designed to blend relaxation, sustainable design, and compelling art, the terminal honors civil rights leader Harvey Milk with dedicated museum-quality exhibits. Opened in four phases between 2019 and 2024, the project added 27 gates, a signature façade, an enhanced ticketing area, new security checkpoints, and seamless connections to the International Terminal. The Prix Versailles jury, which grants just 24 world titles annually across diverse architectural categories, praised the terminal’s fusion of functionality, aesthetic appeal, ecological efficiency, and cultural storytelling. SFO continues to prioritize an exceptional passenger experience through thoughtful amenities, green building practices, and rotating art installations.

(PRESS RELEASE) SAN FRANCISCO, 2025-Jul-1 — /Travel PR News/ — San Francisco International Airport’s Harvey Milk Terminal 1 has been honored among the World’s Most Beautiful Airports by Prix Versailles, the annual UNESCO-backed awards celebrating excellence in architectural and interior design.

“Our goal was to redefine what an airport terminal can be,” explained Airport Director Mike Nakornkhet. “Harvey Milk Terminal 1 invites travelers into a space of calm, sustainability, artful expression, and reflection on civil rights pioneer Harvey Milk’s legacy. Receiving this Prix Versailles distinction validates our commitment to crafting an extraordinary travel environment.”

Jérôme Gouadain, Secretary General of Prix Versailles, observed, “Airports shape global interactions and face immense operational challenges. Yet the finest new terminals can also stand as works of art within our urban and natural landscapes. It’s imperative that such essential infrastructure elevates both function and beauty.”

Harvey Milk Terminal 1 opened in four stages:

• Phase 1 (July 2019): Nine departure gates
• Phase 2 (April 2020): Nine more gates, an exterior façade featuring Harvey Milk signage, and a modernized ticketing hall
• Phase 3 (May 2021): Seven additional gates, a post-security connector to the International Terminal, a museum gallery, and dedicated Harvey Milk exhibits
• Phase 4 (June 2024): A new north check-in lobby, mezzanine-level security checkpoint, two extra gates, and a post-security walkway uniting all terminals

The Prix Versailles jury selects only 24 global title-holders each year across categories like Airports, Museums, and Hotels, evaluating innovation, heritage integration, ecological performance, and social impact. Since 2015, the awards ceremony at UNESCO’s Paris headquarters has spotlighted the world’s most forward-thinking built environments.

San Francisco International Airport remains devoted to delivering a seamless, sustainable, and culturally rich journey. For real-time flight updates, terminal maps, and details on shopping, dining, and art installations, visit flysfo.com or follow @flysfo on X and Facebook.

Contact the Public Information Officer
Doug Yakel
Public Information Officer
External Affairs Office
San Francisco International Airport
650.821.4000 Doug.Yakel@flysfo.com

 

SOURCE: San Francisco International Airport