blueprint asia - April 2008

Topic : portfolio - Tirana Airport Albania

Page : 58 - 62


HOME GROUND
Malaysian Architects Hintan associates Designer Albania's new gateway to the world.

In 2004, Tirana International Airport (formerly known as Tirana Airport Partners) were grantd the concession to build, own, operate and transfer the national airport of Albania, delivering in 2007, a piece of modern architecture and airport infrastructure unfamiliar to the people of the Balkans. Tirana International Airport is the national gateway to Alnbania, a country long shrouded in mystery and political isolation, buried in its own brand of communism for more than 40 years.

The involvement of a team of more than 41 nationalities in this project marks the opening up of the country to the rest of Europe. The airport is also a showcase of cutting edge architecture and airport systems that previously, have only been seen in the West.

For Hintan Assciates, the functional plan of the airport was a starting point as a "people processor" for air travel. Their study of the lifestyles of the Albanian's pointed out to their need to socialize outdoors, evident in the ever-present bars and cafes in Tirana; among farm dwellings that dot the landscape. Encouraged by their client, the architects sought to integrate the people's love for the outdoors into the front section of the airport -- thus arrival and departure doors were designed to be piazzas, with the arrival area a more significant of the two, as it is the first point of exit for passengers.

The arrivals piazza is an urban lifestyle space that will distinguish Tirana from other airports, as well as being a poignant reminder for Albanians that they indeed returned to an Albanian experience immediately upon touchdown, where the space has been conceived as a Mediterrancan outdoor space that faces south, and is semi-protected by bistro / café and a viewing platform. The piazza is a transit point in the dispersal of meters and greeters, which can easily outnumber passengers. It is here that they move on to the various modes of transport around the piazza, or stay for coffee.

The architect's noticed too that the Albanians heve an affinity for "viewing platforms". In its simplest form this is an open roof terrace with chairs and tables for outdoor seating. Several of these structures surrounded the old terminal, serving coffee to patrons. There is a roof top terrace in almost every Albanian home, and in the city, this is transformed into an outdoor high-level terrace/ This viewing platform was soon desiated as a key feature of the piazza that incorporates a signage. The completed viewing platform is T-shape on plan, but takes on a three dimensional quality when viewed from below. It stands as a solitary piece of concrete sculpture with inclined columns. Combined with the main airport signage, it has become the focal point of the piazza.

Albania's natural terrain and landscape was the inspiration behind the deisgn of the intermediate space between the main entrance road at Tirana Airport. The architects designed low geometrical mounds, punctuated by olive trees as a representation of the Albanian landscape. The mounding of both grass and trees served a second purpose of connecting the immediate landscape to the hills beyond. Two sides of the airport are fitted with full height glazing to capture the view of the imposing mountains beyond the airfield.

Rubble stonewalls held together with wire mesh can be seen all over the country, used as boundary walls. In an effort to bring in a naturalistic element that was ulimately Albanian, stonewalls were brought into the airport building to link the airport with its rural setting. Local Albanian stone has been used in the Baggage Reclaim Hall, in the long wall of the car park canopy. Rubble walls were designed into facades that faced the landscape-the use of stone in high tech building was intended to soften its appearance and to rbing a feeling of familiarity to the people of Albania.

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