Grimshaw Architects chosen to design the Pulkovo Airport at St Petersburg, Russia
Grimshaw have been chosen to design the new 450 million euro Pulkovo Airport. The masterplan represents and responds to the climate and heritage of St Petersburg. The striking new terminal roof and envelope are designed to accommodate the extremes of climate experienced by the city. The most prominent of these are the heavy snowfalls experienced in winter. The roof is created from a series of 18m bays, which effectively act as large hoppers, shallow enough not to encourage gathering snow, but deep enough to provide effective drainage. The drains are located directly above the roof’s supportive columns to ensure that the greatest snow load is concentrated on the area of maximum structural support. The roof lights are positioned above the datum line to give them the greatest protection from blanketing snow and to enable them to make optimal use of the low angle natural light.
Pulkovo Airport should act as a gateway to both St Petersburg and Russia, while reflecting the city it serves. Therefore, the internal layout of the new terminal consists of well-defined and separate zones connected by individual walkways to echo the external layout of islands and bridges which make up the city. These grand, open rooms are analogous with the many civic spaces found in St Petersburg, emphasising the airport’s role as the first and last great public space of the city.
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