airBaltic offers new terminal concepts for public vote

Author: Janis Vanags
Source: A/S Air Baltic Corporation

125 architectural concepts have been received for the international design contest of the new airBaltic terminal organized by the Latvian national airline airBaltic. The airline is presenting 10 of the shortlisted architectural concepts for a public vote.

Janis Vanags, airBaltic Vice President Corporate Communications: “In the next three years airBaltic plans to invest 1.5 billion USD in new aircraft, to satisfy the increasing demand of passengers for flights to/from 80 destinations in Europe, Middle East, Russia/CIS. Furthermore, our passengers travelling via North Hub Riga need a functional, efficient and comfortable terminal. The total investment in the new terminal is expected to be 90-100 million euros. ”

The architectural concepts can be viewed and voted for at airBaltic Wingtips blog at blog.airBaltic.com The deadline for casting a vote is November 5, 2010. The designs are presented without author information, observing the same principle of anonymity that applies to all architectural concepts assessed by the international jury of experts.

The purpose of this international contest is to invite architects to create an innovative architectural and functional concept for the new terminal. The winning first stage design/concept would be used in a subsequent second stage with a view towards eventual delivery of the terminal complex. Architects were invited to create their concepts for a terminal with capacity of around 7-8 million annual passengers (14 million eventually) on a designated vacant site at Riga airport. Architects from 70 countries in the world indicated interest in the contest.

The submitted architectural design concepts are assessed by a jury of internationally recognized professionals, local dignitaries and airBaltic management.

The jury is made up of a number of distinguished participants, including British architect Marcus Lee, who designed Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport in London and has received the Stirling Award for the design of the airport in Madrid. He is joined by Irish engineer Dervilla Mitchell, who also worked on Terminal 5 at Heathrow, Swedish architect Åke Bejne, who is a former chairman of the Swedish Architects Association, Dace Putniņa, the founder and co-owner of the KUBS architectural firm, Jānis Dripe, the chief architect of the city of Riga, and Bertolt Flick, President and CEO of airBaltic.

The contest is being managed on behalf of airBaltic by Ove Arup and Partners, one of the world’s largest engineering firms, from their offices in London.

airBalticin brief:  

AIR BALTIC CORPORATION (airBaltic) is a joint stock company that was established in 1995. The primary shareholders are the Latvian state, with 52.6% of stock, and SIA Baltijas aviācijas sistēmas, with 47.2% of stock. The airBaltic fleet consists of 33 aircraft – ten Boeing 737-500, eight Boeing 737-300, two Boeing 757-200, ten Fokker 50 airplanes and three Bombardier Q400Next Gen. airBaltic offers nonstop flights from three Baltic capital cities – Riga, Vilnius, and Tallinn. airBaltic received the title of Airline of the Year 2009/2010 (Gold Award) from the European Regions Airline Association. airBaltic is the winner of Air Transport World Phoenix Award 2010 – a global recognition of excellence in restructuring business. In summer 2010, airBaltic was chosen for anna.aero ANNIES Award as Europe's largest flag carrier by new routes. airBaltic won a special Pacesetter Award 2010 from the Jury of the Budgies World Low Cost Airline Awards, recognising achievements of airBaltic as a hybrid airline.

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