Invercargill Airport
The client's brief was to create a cost-effective but attractive new terminal building to meet the future needs of the region. A fundamental driver was to deliver a solution that would locate the final building in an optimal location on the site while keeping the terminal fully operational throughout construction. The second principal driver was to design the building in a way that would provide sufficient flexibility for future expansion. This involved designing a modular system based on an 8m grid which can be extended in either direction. Another key aspect was to deliver a building that would be economical to maintain and reduce energy consumption. The final aspect of the brief was to try and capture some aspects of regional identity which was realised through the specification of materials.
The overall form of the building was designed to sit long and low on the flat site. The roof acts as a dominant element that sweeps up and over forming an elegant curve suggestive of a giant wing. The colonnade roof to the landside has a curving soffit which acts as a counterpoint and draws you into the building. This colonnade extends the full length of the building creating a civic statement.
To reduce overall operational costs a natural ventilation system was designed to draw air in from the landside and exhausting at roof level through a series of large roof skylights and vents. Two additional extract fans were located on the airside of the concourse to ensure that all areas of the space was covered. This system operates on a BMS depending on the external conditions.
Material selection was designed to be low maintenance and to give a sense of regional identity. Internally we specified attractive Southland aggregates with a colour additive to form the polished concrete floor and Southland beach was used for some of the joinery. A ceramic printed glass pod was created in the centre of the space that reflects the native flora, and fauna acts as a great focal point for the space. The ceiling of the project is a key feature which is made up of a twinned primary glue-laminated structure that integrates the lighting and speakers to create a very clean ceiling of perforated metal acoustic panels. This performs extremely well, making it a very pleasant space to be in.
To maximise the value of our design within the constraints of our budget, areas were prioritised in order to improve the overall impact. We used precast concrete and glass to the landside façade with distinctive steel columns to the landside while using more economical materials on the airside and end facades. The precast concrete panels were imprinted with a pattern reflecting the silhouettes of three key Southland landscapes, Stewart Island, the Takatimu’s and Milford Sound.
