Nelson Airport Terminal
NELSON AIRPORT TERMINAL
Studio Pacific Architecture
ARCHITECTS
Studio Pacific Architecture
CLIENTS
Nelson Airport Limited
LANDSCAPE
Studio Pacific Architecture
MANUFACTURERS
Graphisoft, Godfrey Hirst, Porcelanosa Grupo, Santa & Cole, Thermosash, Dormakaba, Agc Lighting, Adobe, Archicad, Architectural Roof And Façade Innovations Ltd (Arfi), Autex Industries, Autex Psl Alement, Cooper Webley, Horizon International Paving, Hush Panel, Mcneel, Nelson Pine Industries Ltd, Pacific Doors, Roof Logic, Signwise, Streetscape Nz-1
PRODUCTS USED IN THIS PROJECT
On-site Bim Companion - Bimx
STRUCTURE
Dunning Thornton Consultants Ltd
DESIGN TEAM
Juliet Barker, Sarah Berry, Karl Frost, Simon Hardy, Evžen Novák, Dani Stevens, Laura Trama, Samantha Zondag
CIVIL ENGINEER
Cgw Consulting Engineers
QUANTITY SURVEYOR
Barnes Beagley Doherr Ltd
ACOUSTICS
Acoustic Engineering Services
FAÇADE ENGINEER
Mott Macdonald
RETAIL TENANCY FITOUT COORDINATOR & BATHROOM MOSAIC TILE ARTWORK
Edito
SIGNAGE DESIGN
Studio Pacific Architecture In Collaboration With Edito
FIRE
Aurecon
MAIN CONTRACTOR
Naylor Love In Partnership With Gibbons Construction And Fulton Hogan.
PROJECT MANAGER
Aesculus
YEAR
2019
LOCATION
Nelson, New Zealand
CATAGORY
Airport
Text description provided by architect.
The Nelson Airport Terminal is a new large span timber building overlooking the runway, with a stunning backdrop of Tasman Bay and the Western Ranges in Nelson, New Zealand.
The requirement for a new terminal building arose out of the reality that the existing 1975 building no longer met building code requirements or functioned efficiently with the ever-increasing passenger numbers travelling through Nelson.
The brief was for an airport that operated efficiently, both as a transportation hub and a safe and viable business, but also, aspirationally, one that reflected uniqueness to Nelson, connection to the landscape within the building, and extensive use of local materials.
Two main strategies have been chosen to deliver on the expectation for an environmentally sustainable design; natural ventilation and the use of a mass timber structure coupled with a resilient seismic structural solution.
Utilisation of these initiatives enables Nelson Airport to differentiate itself and to set a precedent for the sustainable operation of an airport terminal building.
The building takes a simple but sophisticated approach to achieve natural ventilation for the main terminal space.
The building's plan, height, and roof form are designed to maximise air movement and to utilise the air’s buoyancy when heated to rise up to high-level openings.
Low-level windows bring air into the building and the carefully articulated roof is split through the centre of the building, creating clerestory windows that maximise daylight and allow the release of hot air through glazed louvres.
Along the north façade, chevron-shaped external canopies have multiple benefits; they act as large chambers discharging warm air drawn in from the solar chimneys below, whilst also providing solar shading to the interior and reducing the extent of glazing to the north façade.
In contrast to the simplicity of the plan and facade, the roof is highly complex and visually striking; folding across the length of the building in a constant, rhythmical pattern which references the surrounding mountain ranges.
Internally the timber structure forming the roof is most captivating with natural warmth, texture, and scale that is an invitation to linger.
The use of timber as structure and form-giver is integral to the aims of the design - a true and tactile response to the brief, that reinforces the materiality and its connection and relevance to the surrounding forestry, from which it has been sourced.
The repetitive building module achieves a large open footprint, allowing for flexible internal planning with minimal columns, where internal ‘pods’ float beneath the roof and house operational requirements, retail, and food and beverage offerings.
The material palette is simple - stripped back to both highlight the structure and to create a calming backdrop for the mix of spaces within.
As one of the main entry points into the Nelson region, the building expresses in its form and materiality the essence of the place.
In this manner, the terminal building is unique and differentiated from homogeneous airports around the world through its regionalism.
