Foster + Partners has won a competition to design the forthcoming CPK airport in Poland.
The architectural firm will work with fellow British company Buro Happold on the project, which the firms said would “find a balance between operational efficiency, environmental responsibility and symbolic expression”.
CPK airport is to be built on land around 25 miles southwest of Warsaw, with Polish authorities hoping to have the airport operational by 2028, initially serving up to 40 million passengers per year before ramping up to 65 million by 2060.
The working name for the airport stands for “Centralny Port Komunikacyjny” – and Foster + Partners said that the project “will act as a symbolic gateway to Poland, a 21st century transport interchange which brings together air, rail and road, while reflecting the country’s national identity and providing exceptional passenger experience”.
The vision includes a landside interchange plaza “that is animated by lush greenery and flooded with natural light”, where people would congregate before travelling or welcoming visitors.
The plaza will bring together air, rail and road infrastructure, with a wider project to integrate new rail lines making it possible to travel between Warsaw and Poland’s largest cities in two and a half hours.
Foster + Partners said that the design ideas include “a simple, continuous vaulted roof which intuitively directs passengers from the plaza towards the aircraft”.
There would be “minimal level changes”, enabling “efficient and seamless passenger flows and optimised transfers”, while “visual connections to the surrounding landscape would anchor the transport hub within its geographic context and help to establish a strong sense of place”.
CPK will become the main airport for Warsaw and the surrounding area, but it’s not yet know if the existing Warsaw Chopin airport (situated around six miles south of the city centre) would close when the new facility opens.
Commenting on the news Grant Brooker, head of studio, Foster + Partners, said:
“We are proud and excited to be chosen by CPK as the designers of this project. In collaboration, we will work together to create a model for the future of totally integrated transportation design.
“We believe that this project will completely revolutionise travel across the country and beyond. The vision of woven architectural form is deliberately and strongly expressed.
“It could shape the building and guide the passengers through its spaces, while also serving as a powerful symbolic reference to Poland’s rich cultural heritage and the united strength of its people.”
