Rafael Viñoly Architects have a sweeping success with their Uruguayan airport design.
December 16th, 2009
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

INDESIGN is on instagram
Follow @indesignlive
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
In a tightly held heritage pocket of Woollahra, a reworked Neo-Georgian house reveals the power of restraint. Designed by Tobias Partners, this compact home demonstrates how a reduced material palette, thoughtful appliance selection and enduring craftsmanship can create a space designed for generations to come.
In an industry where design intent is often diluted by value management and procurement pressures, Klaro Industrial Design positions manufacturing as a creative ally – allowing commercial interior designers to deliver unique pieces aligned to the project’s original vision.
Big River continue to expand their range with exciting new products, each with their own special aesthetic and function.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Blurring the line between dessert bar and listening lounge, AIR Design Studio delivers a modular, low-waste fit-out where sound, sustainability and social ritual take centre stage.
Kerstin Thompson of KTA and Neometro Director Lochlan Sinclair discuss density, character and the inner city during a recent gathering in St Kilda East.
Clare Cousins discusses the design thinking behind the award-winning Fisher & Paykel Melbourne Experience Centre, exploring how thoughtful retail environments can create meaningful connections between brand, space and visitor.