Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP) has won a competition to design the $1.5m Terminal 3 building of Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan.
The practice, working alongside Taiwanese engineer CECI and Arup, saw off competition from a shortlist of three that included UN Studio, which took the second prize, and long-standing rival Foster + Partners.
The jury said that it had been impressed by the "innovative planning and design" submitted by RSHP.
Rogers’ track record of airport design includes Heathrow Terminal 5 and Barajas airport in Madrid.
The practice said the Taoyuan concept "has brought together the flexibility of the single span, loose fit volume of Heathrow Terminal 5 with the warmth and human qualities of the flowing interior spaces of Barajas Terminal 4".
It said the purpose was to allow the airport to adapt to future needs, and added that the terminal would be the first of a new generation that would aim to make the travelling experience a quick as possible, with connection times of 40 minutes.
Ivan Harbour, a partner in RSHP, said,"We have created a rationally planned and easy-to-use airport that will be characterised by a flowing sequence of beautifully lit, acoustically comfortable and well-proportioned spaces. It will be an airport where the drama of the spatial experience is shared by all, at all times."
The airport is intended to incorporate Taiwan’s natural beauty (RSHP)
Taoyuan, formerly known as Chiang Kai-shek International Airport, is the largest in Taiwan. Upon completion in 2020 the terminal will be able to handle 45 million passengers a year.
As well as the terminal building, the practice will design boarding gates, concourses and a multi-functional building, along with transport infrastructure.
Other members of RSHP’s team were the Taiwanese architect Fei & Cheng Associates and London-based architects Gillespies and The Design Solution. The airport expertise was supplied by Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide, Hong Kong transport planning specialist OTC Planning & Design and French airport systems design engineer BNP Associates.
The 640,000 square metre terminal is due for completion in 2020.
