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Fernandes Arquitetos Associados designs new airport for Mozambique
Nacala development is based in the Port of Nacala, this being the main source of income and business. The growth on the port activities and Nacala's strategic location in the air route made it necessary to build this airport. The airport was designed to allow for a capacity of 1 million passengers per year and to expand over time without any operational interruption, a request from the client.
The proposed design is predominantly a one-storey building, where operations and passenger flow are well defined and distinct as its small scale does not allow circulation segregation through distinct floors as normally happens in larger airports. The entire passenger flow occurs from the center to the edges, the departure and arrival areas located in the north and south ends of the building. The connection between the two wings is through a central hall, which incorporates a mezzanine, sheltered by a curved central roof that connects the different volumes. Its variable height serves to amplify the common areas and breaks the predominantly ground floor building linearity.
The commercial areas, food hall are located on the Mezzanine making it the main waiting area of the airport, overlooking both the air and landsides. In addition to the Passengers Terminal, the airport complex consists of a Cargo Terminal, Control Tower, Range Equipment and Maintenance Building and Fire Department. The designs of all buildings aim to optimise the use of daylight and natural ventilation reducing energy consumption and rainwater harvesting recycling will be used for irrigation purposes.
In addition to its importance to the local economy, Nacala International Airport aspires to be a landmark for the city and the country, both due to its strategic importance and its role in transforming and renewing Mozambique, enhancing the project responsibility.
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