More pictures here
Invited International Competition Winner.
The New Integrated Terminal at Vadodara Airport is an iconic and sleek contemporary structure featuring an arching, sweeping roof that spans the entire length of the terminal. Inspired by the body and wings of airplanes, the building’s bold sweeping form and identity is achieved by wrapping the East and West sides and the roof with one continuous aerodynamic metal skin. Careful analysis of the building’s orientation informs its unique design. A large overhang on the North (cityside) shelters the transparent facade while shading and protecting passengers along the curbside. This profile then creates an overhang on the South (airside) so that the panoramic glass curtain wall is completely shaded from the strong sun. The volumetric proportion of the interior spaces combined with filtered natural light from skylights above and the sound of flowing water will activate and enliven the experience inside the terminal.
Great airports have the ability to create a sense of excitement, anticipation and spirit of flight, even from a distance. Approaching the new terminal from Vadodara, passengers will see the terminal’s iconic aerodynamic volume levitating above the landscape. Incoming vehicles follow the internal roadway loop surrounded by green trees. Passengers arrive at the curb protected by a large overhang that is punctuated with clear circular openings to provide natural light and induce natural ventilation.
The organization of the terminal is straightforward and efficient. The basis of planning is sequential with all terminal functions supported by clear wayfinding. Although there is a definite division between airside and landside spaces, the terminal is connected visually around a central zone. Passenger and baggage circulation is organized so that departing and arriving passengers as well as domestic and international passengers do not mingle at any point on the airside of the building.
The stepped pool acts as a natural and physical separation between the visitor area and the check-in zone while creating a memorable experience for passengers, its reflectivity offering a psychological respite and calming of the soul for travelers.
With its sleek curved roof, the building’s steel structure rises to form a light and open, column-free terminal with expansive glass curtain walls that create a feeling of spaciousness. Skylights follow the geometry of the roof allowing natural light to permeate the terminal. The roof structure creates column-free public spaces for both the Public Concourses and the Holdroom areas. The structural design and repetition of the basic module result in maximum efficiency for engineering, fabrication and construction considerations. To the East and West, the roof-supporting trusses rest on shear walls. The large forces generated at the base of these elements are transferred directly to the foundations. Departures level floors will be constructed using both post-tensioned and conventionally reinforced concrete. To insure maximum structural efficiency and to limit the overall depth of the structural envelope, girders will be post-tensioned. The beams and slabs framing into these girders will be designed using conventional reinforced concrete construction methods.
Texts and images from:Frederic Schwartz
