Construction work has started on one of the world's biggest airports for Mexico City, designed by Foster+Partners and FR-EE (Fernando Romero Enterprise) and in collaboration with NACO. FR-EE revealed new images of the airport with flythrough video showing details about its form, materiality, interior spaces and the perception of scale in general sense. 

Back in 2014, Foster+Partners and FR-EE won an international competition to design Mexico City's new international airport, which is the largest infrastructure development of Latin America and the world's most sustainable airport in Mexico City.

Video by FR-EE

Mexico City’s New International Airport Terminal aims to revolutionize airport design and the experience of traveling in a new monumentality. Encompassing a total of 667,000 square-meters area in the city, the new terminal will be the new icon and symbolism of Mexico city with its "never-before-seen" form, monumentality and high-level performance. 

The terminal is shaping on the construction site. Image courtesy of Fernando Romero / Instagram 

Defined as the "Airport of the Future", the design addresses to the history of Mexico City, while the structure's form, symbolism and shear monumentality refer to Mexican art and architecture. 

The terminal's scheme presents a closed structure resembling a marine animal spread freely on the site from upper scale. All program elements are solved within a continuous lightweight gridshell, embracing walls and roof in a single, flowing form, evocative of flight. When you look closer, it shines, scales up and gets light within its crystallised skin.

The terminal is shaping on the construction site. Image courtesy of Fernando Romero / Instagram

The entire structure displays uniqueness and particular functional and architectural character with spans in excess of 100 metres, three times the span of a conventional airport, the terminal has a monumental scale inspired by Mexican architecture and symbolism.

"The design ensures short walking distances and few level changes, it is easy to navigate, and passengers will not have to use internal trains or underground tunnels – it is a celebration of space and light," said Foster+Partners.

The maximum span internally reaches 170 metres. The terminal features lightweight glass and steel structure and soaring vaulted roof are designed for Mexico City’s challenging soil conditions.

"Its unique pre-fabricated system can be constructed rapidly, without the need for scaffolding – the airport will be a showcase for Mexican innovation, built by Mexican contractors and engineers," stated Foster+Partners.

The entire building will serve from the skin beneath, freeing the roof of ducts and pipes and revealing the environmental skin. 

"This hardworking structure harnesses the power of the sun, collects rainwater, provides shading, directs daylight and enables views – all while achieving a high performance envelope that meets high thermal and acoustic standards," mentioned in the project description.

If everything goes on a plan, the new airport is planned to open in 2020 and with its flexible scheme, it is conceived to increase passenger numbers in 2028 and beyond, and its development will be the catalyst for the regeneration of the surrounding area. In 2062, the airport will add three more runways on a new site that will include six runways in total.

The terminal is made of a unique pre-fabricated system that can be constructed rapidly, without the need for scaffolding. The Mexico City new International Airport will be the largest-ever infrastructure for Mexican innovation, built by Mexican contractors and engineers.

The new airport will also be the first terminal having the LEED certification as it minimizes costs due to its performative skin and maximise experience for long term travels. The airport guarantees comfortable temperatures through 100% outside air for a large part of the year, with little or no additional heating or cooling required.

All images courtesy of FR-EE

> via Foster+Partners / FR-EE