Terminal 1 at Glastonbury 2025 A Space Where Architecture Speaks
In the heart of one of the world’s most iconic cultural events Glastonbury Festival 2025 a new space emerged that wasn’t just about music or escape. It was something different. Something that made people stop, think, and feel. That space was Terminal 1 .
It wasn’t created just to provoke conversation, but to give voice to stories often unheard. At its core, Terminal 1 is an architectural experience though not in the traditional sense. Here, architecture isn’t just walls and ceilings. It’s a message. A feeling. A journey.
How it all began
The idea started with a simple question: What if we could turn the concept of borders into a place you can actually live through ? From this came architect Oriana Garzón , who at the time was personally going through the process of applying for residency in the UK. Her experience wasn’t distant or abstract it was real, raw, and deeply personal.
Working alongside a team of architects, artists, and designers, she brought Terminal 1 to life as an immersive space that mirrors the journey many migrants take when trying to enter the UK. The goal wasn’t to show people something they didn’t know, but to make them feel what so many others have lived through.
Design as a form of dialogue
Located next to Carhenge a massive sculpture made from scrap metal the space carries a symbolic weight. The name Terminal 1 was borrowed from an old gate at London’s Heathrow Airport, a choice that wasn’t random. It was meant to spark thoughts around migration, identity, and belonging.
Every detail, from the signs to the fabrics on the walls, was intentional. Flags from countries around the world were reimagined using traditional African textiles a quiet but powerful reminder: no nation is better than another. Diversity is what makes us beautiful.
Three stages. Three messages.
The main experience inside Terminal 1 is an interactive path divided into three stages:
| Stage | Description | Message |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Answering a citizenship test question | How can one question decide someone’s future? |
| Stage 2 | Entering a temporary shelter resembling a refugee camp | What does life look like when safety disappears? |
| Stage 3 | Facing border officers | How does power become a wall between a person and their future? |
Each stage was carefully crafted to make visitors feel like the ground beneath them was shifting. This wasn’t just construction it was storytelling, step by step, with visual and sound design that pulled you in.
More than art a human impact
Terminal 1 didn’t stop at design. It extended into real-world action:
- La Linterna Press : A historic Colombian print shop dating back to 1860, printing custom designs directly onto clothing during the festival.
- Community mentorships : Ten young people from Africa, Pakistan, and beyond were given hands on training in event management and production.
- The bar : Operated by the Cleaners and Workers Alliance Union, offering real job opportunities to local and international workers.
These initiatives turned Terminal 1 into more than just an artistic installation it became a cultural and social project with real impact.
Architecture isn’t just structure it’s meaning
As Oriana said in one interview:
Festivals are not just about escape, they’re about possibilities.
And that’s exactly what Terminal 1 represented. Not shock. Not drama. But curiosity. Empathy. Engagement.
The architects here weren’t just drawing lines they were building ideas. Creating change. In Terminal 1, architecture wasn’t just a place. It was a voice.
Final Thoughts
In a world where migration is a daily headline, Terminal 1 offered a different kind of perspective one built with bricks, yes, but also with emotion, thought, and care.
| Element | Rating |
|---|---|
| Visual Experience | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Emotional Impact | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Cultural Depth | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| Creative Delivery | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
If you ever find yourself at Glastonbury and skip Terminal 1, you might miss one of the most powerful, human experiences the festival has to offer.
Festivals are not just about escape, they’re about possibilities.
✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight
This article explores Terminal 1 at Glastonbury Festival 2025, a spatial installation designed to simulate the migrant experience through immersive architectural storytelling. The visuals depict a layered sequence of environments from citizenship tests to border confrontations using raw materials and symbolic textures that reflect displacement and resilience. While the design successfully evokes emotion, it leans heavily on narrative over spatial analysis, limiting its contextual depth for architectural discourse. Still, its integration of cultural identity, community mentorship, and material expression offers a unique contribution to experiential design strategies in temporary spaces.
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