Barcelona Airport Building: Ricardo Bofill Architect

Barcelona Airport Building, Ricardo Bofill Architect, Spain Terminal Design Photos

Barcelona Airport : Architecture

Contemporary Catalan Architecture, Prat of Llobregat Building design by Ricardo Bofill

4 Nov 2011

Barcelona Airport Building

Barcelona Aeroport

Location: Prat of Llobregat, 12km west of Barcelona
Date built: 1990
Ricardo Bofill Architect

TERMINAL 1, BARCELONA AIRPORT

English text:

T1 Barcelona Airport

2001-08, Barcelona, Spain

The mission of the new terminal is to serve as a communications gateway linking barcelona with the rest of europe and the world, to promote passenger mobility and to expand connections to the airport by different forms of transport, high-speed train, local trains, and the subway. Its total surface area is 1.000,000 m2, accommodating an increase of 25 million passengers/year, which doubles the existing terminals.

Barcelona Airport Building by Ricardo Bofill Architect
photo from Ricardo Bofill Architects

The landmark building comprises two main spaces under the same roof: one is 500 metres wide, for check-in, security and baggage collection, and the other is 700 metres long, accommodating pre-boarding and boarding areas.

The design of the building combines an international, multicultural character with the luminosity and warmth of mediterranean architecture. Its transparency allows natural light to flood into all public spaces and provides panoramic views of the runways, the sea and the natural landscape. By combining maximum func tionality, local technology, respect for the environment and unique architecture, the new airport terminal will become an intercontinental hub, a reference and original prototype for forthcoming hubs in the rest of the world.

Client: aena
Surface area: 300.000 m2

Barcelona Airport Building interior design
photo © Adrian Welch

Spanish text:

T1 del aeropuerto de Barcelona

2001-08, Barcelona, España

La vocación de la nueva terminal es ser la puerta de comunicación de Barcelona con el entorno europeo, potenciar el tráfico de conexiones, mejorar la accesibilidad al aeropuerto por los distintos modos de transporte, tren de Alta Velocidad, trenes de Cercanías y la futura ampliación de la línea 9 del metro. Tendrá una superficie de aproximadamente 300.000 m2 y podrá absorber un tráfico de 25 millones de pasajeros, el doble que todas las terminales actuales juntas.

El edificio consta de dos bloques principales bajo un único techo: un bloque de hasta 500 metros de ancho, en el que se realizan los processos de facturación, seguridad y recogida de equipajes, y que conecta a los pasajeros con los distintos modos de transporte, y otro de 700 metros de longitud en el que se ubican las zonas de embarque, espera y equipamientos comerciales. La arquitectura del edificio conjuga un carácter internacional y multicultural con la luminosidad y calidez ambiental de la arquitectura mediterránea.

Su transparencia favorece la iluminación natural de todas las zonas destinadas a pasajeros, permitiendo una visión amplia sobre las pistas, con la vegetación y el mar como telón de fondo. Al confluir en el diseño una ordenación de máxima funcionalidad, la incorporación de modernas tecnologías, el respeto por el medio ambiente y una arquitectura representativa y singular, el nuevo edificio terminal del Aeropuerto de Barcelona será uno de los referentes de las futuras terminales aeroportuarias de pasajeros del entorno europeo.

Cliente: aena
Superfície: 300.000 m2

Barcelona Airport building
photo © Adrian Welch

Barcelona Airport was refurbished and extended for the Olympic Games in 1992. The style is bombastic but fairly simple. Surfaces are hard and reflective and volumes very generous, providing calmness. Lots of freestanding glass panels and rather dated hi-tech tertiary structure that was popular in the late Eighties/early Nineties.
Barcelona Airport has three terminals, A for International and B/C for Spanish.

Barcelona Airport building photos:

Barcelona Airport Barcelona Airport building Barcelona Airport building
photos © Adrian Welch

Barcelona Airport images available upon request: photos 1280×1024 pixels, 72dpi

Location: Barcelona Airport, Barcelona, Catalunya, Northeast Spain, southwestern Europe

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