South Wing Expansion, Athens International Airport

The project refers to the design of the South Wing Expansion (SWE) of the existing AIA Main Terminal Building (MTB), in order to cover a critical increase in Extra Schengen’s (ES) operational needs due to a new European Security Regulatory Framework enforced in April 2019 that foresaw a strict passport control process for all arriving and departing non-Schengen passengers. Dedicated to commercial air transport, the main terminal’s building enlargement of its footprint to the South, would add approx. 98m to a 354m façade and would provide sufficient space for the Extra Schengen operational areas as well as additional concession and back of house space. The client requested to replicate the original architectural design of the building, while upgrading the technology of the materials and construction systems, without implementing significant design variations to the exterior or the interior. The project was the first attempt to extend the terminal beyond its original envelope. The architects regarded this as an opportunity to re-assess the building’s façade and morphology and set a new architectural discourse, upgrading the design of the entire complex.