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When one walks through the new infrastructure designed by Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura, one gets immediately struck by the great concentration of natural light. This completely symmetric structure guaranties easy and clear accessibility and orientation.
Bofill has created a new model and a new typology: an intermodal or airside hub where passengers transport between metro, train, private car, private transport and planes, works optimal and efficiently. Future airports are already based on this model as the only and unquestionable reference. Barcelona is once again at the avant-garde of technology, architecture and design. Once more Bofill has demonstrated that he is one of the best architects in the world.
The glass façade is ready to be wiped clean, but granite floor is shining. Luggage belts at check-in counters are working while the escalators covered with black cloth cannot yet be used. The new South Terminal of Barcelona Airport is almost completed.
The civil work will be concluded end of November. Then the trial period will start. AENA will undertake more tan 200 global trials with 6,000 extras to test out its functioning. Everything must be ready for the opening. AENA assures that the infrastructure will be operating between March and October 2009.
Improving 9th position
When the new South Terminal of Barcelona Airport starts operating, airlines will move gradually. The airport will serve 55 million passengers per year – compared to current 33 million – and 90 operations per hour – versus current 64. The gate to the city will be larger.
“Rated number 9, with the South Terminal we expect to climb the list now led by Heathrow”, says Carlos Echegaray, director of Barcelona’s Airport. The new terminal’s size equals 82 football stadiums, and is 4 times bigger than the sum of the existing ones.
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