“The Bay Agenda” Designing SFO Terminal 1: The World’s Most Beautiful Airport

KALW connects you with the architects and designers behind SFO’s Harvey Milk Terminal, named as the world’s most beautiful airport in 2025.

KALW invites you to explore the evolution of San Francisco International Airport over the past 30+ years, and how shifting priorities around sustainability, wellbeing, and passenger experience have reshaped terminal design.

The conversation will highlight Harvey Milk Terminal 1, recently named the “World’s Most Beautiful Airport” by the Prix Versailles 2025, and a new benchmark for human-centered, sustainable design.

You’ll also get a sneak peek at Terminal 3 West, the next chapter in SFO’s evolution, exploring how airport design continues to adapt for the future.

Join KALW to learn more about SFO’s celebrated design and what’s next.

Presented with support from Joyride PIzza, who will be providing slices and salad at this event.

Ryan Fetters is an Aviation Leader at Gensler San Francisco, where he served as a key designer for the SFO Harvey Milk Terminal 1, implementing the innovative “quiet airport” concept. He specializes in experience-driven projects that bridge the gap between culture and technology to create community-centered spaces. With a background in retail design, he focuses on human-centered architecture and was previously re
cognized as one of VMSD Magazine’s “Designer Dozen”.

Melissa Mizell is Principal and Design Director at Gensler, bringing a user‑centered and sustainability‑driven approach that has shaped several transformative SFO terminal projects, including the redesign of Terminals 2, 1 and 3. Her work integrates programmatic needs, passenger comfort, and performance to elevate the airport experience, blending hospitality, workplace, and retail sensibilities into aviation environments. Known for her collaborative design process, she engages clients and teams to reveal each project’s core narrative.

Kirsten Ritchie is a Principal and Global Director of Climate Action & Sustainability, who led the sustainability strategy for the terminal, which achieved a 79% reduction in carbon emissions. She is a recognized authority in green product standards and was instrumental in securing the project’s world-first Fitwel 3-Star and LEED Platinum certifications. Kirsten serves as a leading sustainability ambassador for the firm, championing design resilience solutions across the building, transportation, and infrastructure sectors.

Brad White is a Principal and Studio Director at Gensler San Francisco. Brad oversaw the delivery of the Harvey Milk Terminal 1 using progressive design-build methods. With over 20 years of experience, he has managed several of SFO’s most complex, award-winning aviation projects, including the ongoing Terminal 3 West Modernization project. He is known for his ability to prioritize client goals while fostering collaborative, high‑performing teams on complex, multi‑phased terminal projects.

Ben Trefny has been part of the KALW family since 2003, where he currently serves as Executive Producer. As Executive News Editor, News Director, and Interim Executive Director, he helped the news department win numerous regional and national awards for long- and short-form journalism. He also helped create numerous training programs — for teenagers, incarcerated people, and early-career journalists — and has taught hundreds of audio producers. His current work focuses on journalism, live events, and partnerships.

Come early to see Raymundo Valdez’s Prismatic City: Landmarks in Light, a solo art exhibition showing the city as it lives: layered, luminous, & constantly changing. RSVP for the March 6 opening here. The show is on view at KALW’s Live Event Studio Art Gallery through April 10.

There is a $10 – $20 sliding scale suggested donation for this event. Nobody will be turned away for lack of funds.

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