continued

The interior and exterior undersides of the roof are clad in bamboo to create a perception of warmth and to underscore the project's organic motif. On the exterior, the ribbed metal roofing and the bamboo soffits merge to resemble a line of boats along a pier. This suggests a connection between air transport and another — more timeless and less hectic — form of travel.

The concourses are linear in composition with inclined "trees" or support pillars defining the spaces. As travelers advance within the concourses, the colors of these supports vary with the hues of the rainbow. Color serves both to enliven the interiors and as a point of reference, guiding the public through the airport. Together light, color, and the undulating bamboo ceiling create a positive sensation of "moving through" rather than being "captive and processed."

In order to "open up" the spaces, the exterior curtain wall is downplayed: the glass is held in place by cables replacing vertical mullions. Here, the structural design breaks down the boundary between the interior and exterior, extending the public space beyond the limits of the buildings.

The canyons alternate with simulated skylights that are fitted with indirect lighting to imitate a natural setting while reducing glare so that monitors can be easily read. Instead of creating closed, controlled spaces, the idea is to let light in, humanizing the public areas, facilitating wayfinding, and illuminating the baggage retrieval areas in the basement.

In Madrid's hot climate, sunlight needs to be controlled to be appreciated. In this terminal, the passive solutions are well conceived. Shading devices along the perimeter of the building and below the light wells in the interior are static but convey a sense of movement through their form, placement, and the play of shadows throughout the day. In general, the huge scale of the project made possible the design solutions that distinguish the buildings throughout.

Dynamism and Stability

Y-shaped steel supports, jauntily placed at an angle, prop up the exterior roof overhangs. This detail emphasizes a dynamic motion of "reaching out", not simply supporting. The building "performs" a kinetic dance, most clearly reflected in the interplay between the polychrome support columns and the roof. The bamboo-clad ceiling expands and contracts as the steel supports gently exert force out and then in again.

A unique aspect of Barajas NAT is the way in which it combines monumental scale with accessibility. Given the height of the ceiling in the main building and the lyricism of the spaces, the airport even brings to mind religious architecture.

Columns spaced at regular intervals, as in a sacred grove of trees or a place of worship, convey a sense of calm on an almost primal level in a building type that could otherwise be intimidating and unnerving. Paradoxically, the same building that inspires awe also inspires confidence.

With Barajas NAT, Madrid joins other cities with state-of the-art airport facilities such as Amsterdam, Kuala Lumpur, Zürich, Stuttgart, and Seattle. This project appears to reach a sensible balance between design and function, with an emphasis on how the public experiences air travel.

The ultimate success of this airport will depend on the quality of its daily operations as well as its frame and envelope. If all goes well, travelers will turn their attention, as Le Corbusier hoped, to sky, grass, and concrete.

Rachel Grossman writes about travel, fine arts, architecture, and interior design from Alicante, Spain. She holds a graduate degree in Modern Art History from the Courtauld Institute.

Discuss this article in the Architecture Forum...

In the Barajas New Area Terminal in Madrid, designed by Richard Rogers Partnership and Estudio Lamela, light wells highlight areas of movement between floors. Photo: Manuel Renau Transparency in the concourse aids navigation. Photo: Manuel Renau Skylights illuminate glass flooring. Photo: Manuel Renau Station for the "automated people mover." Photo: Manuel Renau Skylights illuminate the baggage retrieval area. Photo: Manuel Renau Cables replace vertical mullions. Photo: Manuel Renau Shading devices below skylights. Photo: Rachel Grossman Custom-designed "wok" lighting system. Photo: Manuel Renau Simulated skylights. Photo: Manuel Renau Light canyons. Image: Estudio Lamela   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.