Beyond the Gate
Airport Architecture Between Experience World and High-Security Zone
Beyond the Gate
Airport Architecture Between Experience World and High-Security Zone
Julia Heisenberg
Airports today are lifestyle destinations, logistical masterpieces, and security mazes all in one. Their planning requires interdisciplinary thinking, technical expertise, and architectural finesse. A standout example of this is the terminal development at Salzburg Airport by ATP.
Few types of buildings are as complex as an airport. It is a transport structure, a structure for safety, and a space for experiences – a microcosm where every detail is subject to the highest precision. Architecture acts here as an interface between the ‘wow’ experience and planning efficiency: it must provide orientation, create a quality environment, and at the same time enable highly complex processes in the background. All areas are functionally interconnected, optimized for timed processes – from check-in through security checks to boarding.
Only through the close interdisciplinary collaboration of all disciplines, as we practice at ATP, can projects of this magnitude be implemented precisely and with high quality.
From Airport to Global Lifestyle Hub
In recent decades, the understanding of airports has fundamentally changed. What used to be mere transit points are now experiential spaces that combine retail, gastronomy, and comfort in one ensemble.
Airports nowadays compete strongly for passengers and, like hotels, are evaluated based on the quality of experience.
This results in new requirements for spatial design, quality of stay, and variety of offerings. Airport architecture must be inviting, bright, and flexible.
Security dominates everything
As natural as the smooth operation of an airport may appear, its planning is demanding. Different security zones – for arriving and departing passengers, Schengen and non-Schengen areas – must be clearly separated from each other without being noticeable. Technology and operational safety shape the functional spatial system – because even a small disruption (e.g. a faulty door) can significantly affect the operation.
In case of evacuation, escape routes from different safety zones must never intersect. This makes planning a complicated puzzle.
Fire protection and smoke extraction are also central topics: Each terminal area needs its own fire compartments, and smoke extraction systems must not create unauthorized passages between security zones. The installation of the systems, and where and how they are installed, must be meticulously planned to avoid any unintended security gaps.
Sustainable into the Future
While airports in the Arab region or in Asia often emerge as new buildings, we in Europe mostly work with existing structures - making adjustments more complex, but also more sustainable. Preserving resilient building fabric reduces CO₂ and costs. Modularity, the circular economy, and recycled materials are also crucial topics in European planning mindset.
Salzburg Airport: Renovate Instead of Building Anew
The project Terminal Development Salzburg Airport, which we won in 2023 as the best bidder in an EU-wide tender, exemplifies how the harmonious combination of spatial experience, safety, and sustainability can be achieved. The task is to extensively renew the existing terminal landscape from 1966 and develop it into an energy-efficient overall ensemble. Resource conservation and energy efficiency take center stage here. By partially preserving the existing structure, material usage can be significantly reduced. The modular structural design enables easy disassembly and reuse of components in line with the principles of the Circular Economy. In its design, the concept incorporates regional elements and fits harmoniously into the surrounding landscape with its characteristic curved roof structure.
