Political and business Catalonia yesterday came along to the opening of T-1, the new terminal at Barcelona airport. Some 700 political and business leaders were invited and heard speeches in the following order from the terminal’s architect, Ricardo Bofill; the Minister of Public Works, José Blanco; the President of Catalonia, José Montilla; and finally the Prime Minister of Spain, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.
All the speakers agreed that it was a festive day. Mr Zapatero praised the functional and aesthetic aspects of a facility which “has a futurist, functional and Mediterranean air to it” and is characterised by its “clarity, minimalism and simplicity". Ricardo Bofill explained that “there is no room for the ornate or superfluous” in his design.
The event was also attended by the architecture director at Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura, Peter Hodgkinson; the interior designer at the RBTA, Marta de Villalonga; architect Ricardo E. Bofill; economist Pablo Bofill; the chairman of Banco Sabadell, Josep Oliu; the owner of Marsans and ex-chairman of Spanair, Gonzalo Pascual; the new chairman of Spanair, Ferran Soriano; the chairman of Abertis, Salvador Alemany; the chairman of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Miquel Valls; the chairman of Mango, Isak Andic; the chairman of Vueling, Josep Piqué; the CEO of Agrolimen, Artur Carulla; and the chairman of Acciona, José Manuel Entrecanales.
It is the new gateway to Barcelona. Spacious, bright and elegant and the biggest infrastructure project in Catalonia in years.
LA VANGUARDIA, LLATZER MOIX
“It is the biggest infrastructure project built in Catalonia in the last 20 years” as airport director Fernando Echegaray pointed out to
EL PERIODICO
Ricardo Bofill has turned T-1 into a light-filled, welcoming and comfortable facility.
EL PERIODICO DE ARAGON
The new Terminal 1 at Barcelona Airport, which has been designed by Ricardo Bofill, is already being seen by some as one of the best works in his long career in architecture.
EL PAIS, CATALINA SERRA
The new Terminal 1 at Barcelona Airport, designed by Ricardo Bofill (b. Barcelona, 1939), is already being seen by some as one of the best works in his long career in architecture.
RANCHO LAS VOCES
The harmony of straight and curved forms, of light and landscape.
EL PERIODICO, RAMON COMORERA
EL PAIS – CATALINA SERRA the real highlight is its brightness, with lots of areas featuring filtered natural light and sea views
The building is also sustainable (it is fitted with thousands of solar panels)
"The first passengers to go through the new T1 terminal at El Prat airport, which comes into service today, say they are ‘pleasantly surprised’ by the facility and stressed its design, size, functionality and brightness." Barcelona, 17 June (EFE).
"It’s spectacular, much nicer than the T4 terminal at Barajas and it’s bigger and more functional too," EFE was told by Carlos Zayas, leader of the UPyD party, who had arrived in Barcelona accompanied by his wife on a flight from Palma de Mallorca in order to catch another to Dubrovnik (Croatia).
Passenger Ricardo Tomassetti said he was "pleasantly surprised" by the new terminal because of its "beauty" and its "enormous size, extremely clear signage and natural orientation".
"I really like the new terminal," said Katharina Dinius, a Swiss Air ground hostess.
"The T-1 fascinates me,” said Victoria Williams, director of Portuguese airline TAP. “The building has a lot of light and is very attractive. Plus everything has worked perfectly."
"I love it," said Evaristo, about to check in for an Ibiza-bound flight. “I had a trouble-free journey here in the train and the shuttle from terminal B to T-1 took just 10 minutes."
"The new terminal’s really great and meets the needs of city like Barcelona. Very bright and good views," said Elisabeth, an architect.
"It’s amazing," commented Víctor, manager of the Cottet store in the new terminal.
Francisco, a blind man who came accompanied by his guide dog, said that “I’ve had absolutely no problems with moving around the airport".
Links:
“Embarcament immediat. BCN, l’origen” Discurso Ricardo Bofill Más Imágenes 
