Any terminal will have people working at it, be they managers, office employees or dock workers. As a rule, government regulatory bodies will also be based there.

As such, any terminal will have buildings, whatever the circumstances, and these buildings must be user-friendly, ergonomic, and ideally attractive to look at.

This last criterion is of particular importance if we are dealing with a passenger terminal, especially one that will be receiving cruise ships. As a rule, a maritime or river passenger terminal becomes a symbol of the city it serves, and its architectural aspect will take on a crucially important role. For example, the design for the main port terminal building at Pionerski in the Kaliningrad region included Gothic elements, in harmony with the style of old Königsberg.

However, the investor, particularly in the case of private capital, may stipulate financial restrictions, in which case the experience and knowledge of the design engineer is of vital importance, because it is they who will enable the task to be completed with the optimum combination of functionality and aesthetic appeal.