Transportation
Terminal and Parkade, Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport
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Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
646,000 square feet / 60,000 square meters
2011
A major component of the Winnipeg International Airport’s redevelopment, this project includes a 22-gate, two-level terminal for international and domestic flights and a four-level, 1,600-space parking garage. The design, which makes great advances in environmental sustainability for airports, emphasizes the Manitoba prairies and sky while it provides sweeping views and effortless navigation for travelers. The boundless prairie horizon and the extreme changes in the local climate are central to the design of the terminal building.
From the exterior, the terminal’s horizontal profile is consistent with the landscape, its long, low, swooping form accentuated by the deep overhang of the floating aluminum roof. The shape will allow travelers to see through the terminal and across the prairie and, in some cases, to downtown Winnipeg. Travelers will be able to see through to the planes as soon as they enter the terminal, making wayfinding intuitive and effortless. A consolidated check-in counter and a single security check-point further allow travelers to complete their trip easily.
The building is conceived as a glass vessel, inviting visitors to experience the landscape and skies of Manitoba. Skylights, an atrium at the main entrance, clerestory windows emphasize the big Manitoba sky and fill the terminal with light. Glass bridges add to the feeling of openness. The interior is imbued with warmth by the use of wood, its color suggesting Manitoba wheat fields. There is a pillowing ceiling of wood slats, as well as wood-paneled walls in the main public spaces.
Designed with environmentally sustainable features, the terminal will make Winnipeg International the first airport in Canada and the second in North America to receive a LEED rating. Extensive use of natural light helps to reduce the building’s energy consumption. Overall, the building will be 25 percent more efficient than the Model National Energy Code for New Buildings, making it qualify for the Commercial Buildings Incentive Program. Other features include innovative approaches to mechanical systems and more than 15 percent of recycled content in the construction materials.
