The Bay Agenda: Designing the World's Most Beautiful Airport

San Francisco International Airport, Harvey Milk Terminal 1 recently earned the Prix Versailles 2025 World Title, officially naming it the "World's Most Beautiful Airport." This honor recognizes its "Bay Area Naturalism" design, which uses floor-to-ceiling windows and sustainable materials to create a restorative atmosphere.

A leader in environmental stewardship, the terminal is the world’s first to achieve LEED Platinum and FitWel 3-Star certifications. Further prioritizing passenger wellbeing, the "quiet terminal" offers a yoga room, a Harvey Milk museum, and a sensory room for neurodivergent travelers.

Join KALW for an inside look at how the space was made.

Guests include:

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.

Please become a KALW member today and receive your first drink on us at all 220 Montgomery events.

📍 220 Montgomery St., San Francisco, 2 blocks from BART/MUNI

🚪 Reception doors open at 6:00

🗣️ Program begins at 7:00

🆓 The event is free with an RSVP — and you are welcome to donate what you want

Please note:

• The event space is just to the left of the main entrance to the Mills Building at 220 Montgomery Street
• We recommend taking BART/MUNI, exiting at Montgomery, and walking two blocks north
• Ride-shares can drop off and pick up directly in front of the venue
• If you drive, there are several garages within two blocks of the event location; free street parking is available across from the venue at 7:00 pm

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

220 Montgomery St, 220 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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