Meet Nuru Karim — the genius who transformed Guwahati Airport’s Terminal 2 into a living forest! Home to 1 lakh+ indigenous plants, his ‘Bamboo Orchids’ design just bagged the International Architectural Award 2025.
Founder of Mumbai-based firm NUDES, Nuru Karim designed Guwahati International Airport's (GHY) new Terminal 2 as a tribute to Assam’s natural beauty and cultural identity.
Inspired by Assam’s foxtail orchids and Bholuka bamboo as well as Arunachal's Apatani bamboo, the ‘Bamboo Orchids’ concept brings the region’s forests to life with 57 orchid-shaped columns and Kaziranga-style landscapes.
But beyond aesthetics, the new terminal was also planned with sustainability & passenger wellbeing at its centre. Open-plan layouts and skylights maximise natural daylight while reducing energy use.
Indoor gardens & vertical green walls improve air quality while a serene “arrival forest” offers passengers a gentle transition from airside to the terminal.
"We envision our designs as more than simply architectural landmarks or destinations. They are proof of a sustainable future, existing in perfect harmony with nature", says Karim.
This innovative approach to design is evident in Karim's iconic projects, from the Charkha installation in Mumbai to the Cardboard Café and the Forest School where Karim created a self-sustainable façade.
As he once said, "We need to look beyond ‘Nature’ as mere ‘producers’ of our needs, but as ‘mentors’ that can guide us. There are lessons to be learnt even from self-sustaining termite mounds!"