16 December 2009

Carrasco International Airport is Born

Rafael ViÃ±oly Architects have a sweeping success with their Uruguayan airport design.

New York-founded Rafael Viñoly Architects have designed the new Carrasco International Airport in Montevideo, Uruguay, opened 9 December.

The new terminal, which serves Uruguay’s capital city Montevideo, was created to spur commercial growth in the area and increase tourism to the surrounding area.

The building’s design emphasises its public zones and amenities, with plenty of natural light and vast open spaces laid out beneath a curved 365 metre-long roof.

From the exterior the sweeping curvaceous form of the building mirrors the natural undulating landscape of Uruguay, creating unique visual impact.

Inside the building an open atrium adjacent to the street entrance opens the ground floor to the impressive space in the main hall.

Arrivals and departures are separated vertically, with each level able to be accessed and serviced independently by vehicles, with the roof skimming overhead to shelter the access roads.

“This terminal provides great spaces for the people who aren’t travelling as well as those who are”, says Rafael Viñoly, “The atrium, the main hall, the terrace and the concourse make this a dramatic and welcoming pace for everyone”.

Rafael Viñoly Architects
vinoly.com