World’s First Airport Terminal Made of Wood to be Built in Zurich
Timber columns will become a load-bearing system in this sustainability move
Zurich Airport has unveiled its plans to build a new terminal that will mainly use wood for construction. The construction of the new terminal – dubbed Dock A – will include the apron and Zurich’s Tower. It will be built with a collaboration between Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and HOK over the next 10 years. The move is a nod toward a sustainable future for the airport.
The project has been named the Raumfachwerk, which translates from German to “space frame.” The new Dock A will be made nearly entirely of wood and will be the largest of its kind in the world.
It will feature large V-shaped timber columns as a load-bearing system of the entire structure, which is mostly inspired by the region’s alpine landscape and customary timber roofs prevalent in traditional Swiss architecture. As a renewable local resource, the terminal’s use of wood is a tribute to the heritage while lowering the carbon emissions of the terminal construction.
Image: Zurich Airport/BIG
Harry Gugger, professor of architecture at Laboratory Basel, said;
The backbone of the project is formed by a structure that is not just load bearing, but also defines and adapts the space, creates a unique atmosphere, and provides a distinctive identity true to its place and era.
The new terminal will be separated into two main parts: a seven-story central area harboring shops and restaurants around a spacious light-filled atrium and a pier with waiting areas and coinciding gates. The center of the terminal will be the hub of movement, including departure, arrival, and transferring passengers.
Image: Zurich Airport/BIG
Bjarke Ingels, founder and creative director of BIG, said;
As airports grow and evolve, and as international guidelines and safety requirements change, airports tend to become more and more complex. For the new main terminal of Zurich Airport, we have attempted to answer this complex challenge with the simplest possible response: a mass timber space frame that is structural design, spatial experience, architectural finish, and organizational principle in one.
The Philippine airport was the first in Asia that used wood for its terminal roof construction. However, the Swiss project is pioneering as the entire terminal structure will be constructed using eco-friendly material.
Image: Zurich Airport/BIG
Via: Aviation Source
