SPACE - 2007 #4

Topic : When steel met glass

Page : 081-084

Writer: Tong Chin Thing

Tirana has landed
Kalzip aluminium standing seam roof slashes across the virtually horizontal airfield of Tirana International Airport, sandwiched by hills on its landside and mountains on its airside. In 2004, Tirana International Airport (formerly known as Tirana Airport Partners) was granted the concession to build, own, operate and tranfer the national airport of Albania, delivering in 2007, a piece of modern architecture and airport infrastructure foreign to the people of the Balkans.

Tirana International Airport is the national gateway to Albania, 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 th rest of Europe. The airport showcases cutting edge architecture and airport systems that are only seen in the west.

The simple form of Tirana International Airport is capped with a simple mono pitc roof falling gently from 16 metres to 9 metres at the apron. The frontage has an impressive loftly height that characterises the departure kerbside and the market place. Both the front and rear walss are fully glazed to capture the reflection of the surrounding views.

The Malaysian Architecture firm, Hintan Associates fully prepared the airport expansions on both sides of the building. On these two sides, industrial sinusoidal steel cladding is used, vertically without joints, or combined with local rubber stone on the arrivals piazza. Two runs of roof lights along the edges of the inclined flank walls bring an enormous amount of daylight into the terminal. Despite site constraints, a zone of landscaping in the form of 3-dimensional grass banking was created to screen off the immediate surroundings thereby defining a sense of place.

The Main Terminal Building has a commercial landside piazza and viewing platform, for a capacity of 1.5 million passenger per annum, including baggege unloading areas, outdoor smoking zone and a children's playground. The Service Bock contains power generation, sprinkler tanks, chiller plant and condensers.

Hin Tan noted that e functional plan of the airport was the starting pount as a ' people processor' for air travel. They looked at thelifestyle of Albanians and their love to soccialise outdoors, evident in the ever present bars and cafes in Tirana and farm dwellings that dot the landscape.

"Our need to integrate this love of ourdoor life into the front of the airport was encourge by our client. The ateas in front of the arrivals piazza took on a more significant role, as it it the first point of exit for the visitor," he added.

An urban lifestyle space is created at the arrivals piazza to distinguish the airport from the others. This sentimental reminder for the Albanians signifies that they have returned home with an immediate experience of Albanian hospitability. A Mediterranean outdoor space, south facing, with a bistro/café and a viewing platform is envision. As the piazza is a transit point in the diffusion of meeters 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 a coffee.

The façade, an imposing experience of the main terminal building is the result of inverting the conventional approach iof the section of the bulding - high landside and a low airside as opposed to high airside and a low landside. This results in a stunning view of the entire roof framing from outside in during late afternoon when lighting conditions permit.

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 into landscape however some were omitted as a result of time and cost. The use of stone in a 'High Tech' building, to soften its appearance and bring a feeling of familiarity, was one of the design objectives fullfilled.

The planning of the airport paid emphasis on the ritual of leaving, of passing through to security and then passport control. The architectural expression if that ritual was to enhance the security hall with a sub roof made from suspending two cables from rigid frames at either end. The two cables support a series of small diameter steebes spaced at 600 centres to form a three dimensional cage over the hallway. Blue LED lights complete the ritual walk to the airplanes.

A rare feature of any airport today - a children's playground was integrated into the side of the terminal, allowing children a glimpse of the awe-inspiring aeroplanes whilst playing safely in glass enclosure.

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