Grimshaw LAX Rail Station: Iconic Gateway Completed

Grimshaw’s new LAX rail station opens as Los Angeles’s bold, light-filled intermodal gateway, boosting connectivity at LAX and signaling a shift in airport infrastructure design.

Grimshaw’s brand new architectural milestone highlights a pivotal shift in Los Angeles infrastructure. The firm has completed the Grimshaw LAX rail station, officially known as the LAX/Metro Transit Center, a bold intermodal transit hub that stitches together the city’s disjointed commuter lines. It connects the C and K Metro lines directly to the upcoming Automated People Mover, spanning 1,100 feet across Aviation Boulevard and resetting expectations for Los Angeles airport infrastructure. Designed to shift habits away from rideshares and taxis, it makes mass transit the most convenient option for travelers. Anchoring the project is Metro’s widest light rail platform, surrounded by a bustling bus plaza, bike hub, and customer center each framed by etched glass panels and vast skylights that pull in natural light and clarity.

The Grimshaw LAX rail station stands out for how deliberately it merges form, function, and environmental intent. Driven by the rhythms of Southern California’s coastal weather, the design favors passive solutions: deep overhangs that throw shade, airflow that moves naturally through the space, and daylight that pours in without effort. The LAX/Metro Transit Center is also built with long-term durability in mind, weaving in solar panels, tough low-maintenance materials, and electric bus infrastructure, all without sacrificing aesthetic flow. Around the intermodal transit hub, you’ll find native plantings, walkable plazas, and large-scale public art elements that ease the hard edge of Los Angeles airport infrastructure and make the space feel open, livable, and designed for people first.

This LEED Gold–targeted project is more than just a transit fix, it’s a civic moment. By 2035, daily boardings are expected to hit 5,000, and its role in the 2028 Summer Olympics gives it serious weight in shaping Los Angeles airport infrastructure. The Grimshaw LAX rail station avoids falling into the trap of functionality-first design. The LAX/Metro Transit Center, as part of the broader intermodal transit hub, doesn’t just connect lines, it builds a sense of place. Sure, it’s accessible and sustainable. But what stands out is how intentional it feels. It challenges planners and policymakers to see Los Angeles airport infrastructure not as a utility, but as a reflection of how a city moves and who it moves with.