airBaltic Invites World’s Architects to Create a Design Concept for the New Terminal

06.08.2010 06:05 | Latvia

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

The Latvian national airline airBaltic has announced an international design contest in which architects are invited to submit their ideas or concepts for the new terminal at North Hub Riga.

Bertolt Flick, President and CEO of airBaltic: “Riga International Airport has already exceeded its capacity, and a new terminal is urgently needed. Preparations for further development of the new terminal are currently underway. We also hope for more active involvement on the part of Riga International Airport in the terminal development. To many visitors, the terminal will also be the new face of Latvia, and we have invited architects to come up with innovative and unique ideas.”

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 are 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.

A jury of internationally recognized professionals, local dignitaries and airBaltic management will assess the submitted architectural design concepts at the end of September and award a cash prize of €100,000 to the selected winner.

The competition 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. Architects are invited to register their interest before Monday, 16th August 2010 by sending their name (or company name) and full contact details to [email protected] The architectural design concepts or ideas will be accepted for this contest until September 20, and the jury will assess them by the end of September.

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 32 aircraft – ten Boeing 737-500, eight Boeing 737-300, two Boeing 757-200, eleven Fokker 50 airplanes and one 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. airBaltic was chosen for anna.aero ANNIES Award as Europe's largest flag carrier by new routes.