Project description
Located in the African continent, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea is currently one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Bata is its largest city and it was in this context, framed by the territorial development politics of the country, that the project for a new international passenger terminal at Bata Airport was originated – an iconic work of contemporary architecture, inspired by and identified with the local culture. This new project sought to gift the city of Bata with a modern airport infrastructure, with four jet bridges for domestic and international flights, capable of receiving all types of aircrafts, including the recent A380.
The architectural proposal was strongly influenced by African features and inspired by the traditional housing type that, to this day, can be found throughout the country – the “hut”. Considering that the approach to the terminal would be made through the interior areas, the design addressed all operational and programmatic requirements for an airport that intends to welcome up to one million passengers per year.
On the ground floor, this L-shaped terminal featured a large lobby, operational and control services as well as some boarding and arrival gates.
The upper floor, smaller in area, was predominantly made up of boarding and arrival zones and a catering area over the lobby. Mobility between floors was assured by elevators and escalators, duly prepared to receive people with reduced mobility.
There was also a VIP room to welcome passengers in a refined environment, before and after the trip. The area of construction also included other spaces both public and of restricted access. This exceptional building had multipurpose rooms suitably equipped to host conferences or meetings. These rooms could be made available for the executives and entrepreneurs visiting the country.
The most relevant specialties developed in this project were those of architecture, structures, water supply system, fire extinguishing system, air conditioning system, baggage handling system, lighting equipments as well as all aeronautical facilities.
A1V2 took its vast experience in designing airport complexes to define the technical premises for this new airport in accordance with the intended goals, bringing them to life in a building with a strong, distinctive image, inspired by elements typical to local constructions.