The Spanish National Airports Authority (AENA) held an international competition which was won by a consortium of Richard Rogers Partnership, the Spanish practice Estudio Lamela and two engineering companies TPS and Initec in 1997. The design was chosen for it simplicity, adaptability and flexibility, allowing for future changes and extensions. The new terminal, its satellite and two new runways will double the airport’s capacity, making Barajas the second largest airport in Europe and 10^th in the world.

Responding to the requirements of 21st-century travel, the New Terminal at Barajas will be efficient, economic and functional, accommodating anticipated growth in passenger traffic, which could be up to 35 million per annum in 2010 and 50 million in 2020. It is predicted that the new terminal will accommodate between 65 and 70 million passengers per annum. Passenger numbers are expected to surpass Schiphol in the Netherlands, Europe’s second largest airport, in five years time. With total area of 1,200,000 square m, the NAT is one of the largest buildings in Europe and will have a significant urban, economic and social impact on both Madrid and Spain itself.

The design process has concentrated on delivering an improved passenger experience, creating an attractive, peaceful atmosphere. In Madrid Barajas Airport, such structures are integrated into the main building, taking into account the topography of the local area. A simple palette of materials reinforces the direct character of the architecture, giving the new terminal a unique geometry, most strikingly in the roof and facade. Practically all the steel used is on view, with the building exposing its skeleton to the user. Features like the roof beams and the structure of the curtain wall give a sense of security, robustness, light and space.

Airport terminals are normally surrounded by support elements (car parks, power plants etc.) that obscure orientation through the airport. The futuristic, modern terminal is spacious, with natural light streaming through the undulating wing-like roof and glass walls. Richard Rogers calls the large light-filled courtyards shaped as the roofline dives down to the lower levels, “canyons”. Dramatic glass and steel bridges span these canyons. The canyons establish a sequence that incorporates the landscape into the interior space, also needed to bring natural light down into the lower levels.

Inside Madrid Barajas Airport, the roof is clad in bamboo strips, giving it a smooth and seamless finishing. In contrast, the structural trees-like are painted to create a long vista of graduated color. The lower levels of the building house baggage handling, storage and plant areas, and provide a striking contrast with the lightweight transparency of the passenger areas above. The need for a relaxing atmosphere meant using materials and finishes that radiate calm. The bamboo covered roof creating a warm feel, while the paving will be made of Spanish limestone, which is warm without being reflective and softer than other materials such as granite.

While no particular environmental criteria were stipulated for the extreme heat of summer in Madrid, the design team set out to maximize natural daylight to all passenger areas and reduce requirement on artificial light, while providing views out and reducing solar gain with extensive external shading. The building benefits from a north-south orientation with the primary facades facing east and west. The facades are protected by a combination of deep roof overhangs and external shading. A low energy displacement ventilation system is placed in the pier, and elsewhere a more conventional high velocity system is used.

Despite the size of the building, Madrid Barajas Airport is a model of legibility, with a straightforward linear diagram, in the form of a clear sequence of spectacular spaces for both departing and arriving passengers. The accommodation is distributed over six floors; three above ground for check-in, security, boarding and baggage reclaim, and three underground levels for maintenance, baggage processing and transferring passengers between buildings. The passenger’s traffic starts in the forecourt and goes through the check-in counters and the security control until the boarding lounge.

The parallel linear floor planes are separated from each other by dramatic, light-filled canyons across which bridges span. The layout proposed is adaptable to all activities at the airport, maintaining a strong architectural identity through all stages of the project, with a view to the need for potential extensions of the buildings. The new Madrid Barajas Airport features a clear progression of spaces for departing and arriving travellers. The building’s modular design creates a repeating sequence of waves formed by vast wings of prefabricated steel.

Another technology feature is the SATE automated baggage-processing system, which will allow the processing of about 16,500 pieces of baggage per hour. The system will stamp a sticker on the suitcases, complete with barcode, and using an optical reader move them along a 78 km circuit of automatic conveyors to the right planes at a rate of 10 m per second. Both the SATE and the automated train will transport through the same two-tier tunnel, with the train running on the upper level and the SATE on the lower level. Gates are color coded for easy reference with deep blue for north and deep red for farthest south. Madrid Barajas Airport contains the regular cafes, restaurants, retail outlets, a Turkish bath and a 2400 square foot spa with hydro massage. A 12-lane road leads to the main terminal, and Madrid is only eight miles away. When the metro is completed, travelers will be able to reach the journey to the city center in only 15 minutes.

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