A NEW LOOK FOR DUBLIN AIRPORT’S T1
Atkins has been working on a major facelift to Terminal 1 at Dublin Airport under plans that have been lodged this month with Fingal County Council. The design will replace the core façade and roof with a new modern, energy efficient envelope that will completely transform the external appearance of the terminal, giving it a new visual identity.
Designed in the Brutalist style, popular at the time, the existing façade dominated by concrete fins will make way for a combination of glass and solid panels to create a bold new look for T1 that will improve the overall visual appearance of the airport campus. As part of the project, planning permission has also been sought to repurpose the top two floors of Terminal 1 as airport offices, which were originally designed as a multi-storey car park.
Carlos Muriel, Atkins’ Lead Architect, commented: “Our proposal gives T1 a new identity that is based on a deep understanding of the historical transformation that the airport has experienced during the last 50 years and Dublin Airport´s ambition to become a highly-sustainable and energy efficient campus. The design addresses the challenges of the present and future, whilst being respectful to the past.”
Responding to DAA’s sustainability agenda, the changes will generate a significant improvement in the terminal’s energy efficiency, as it will move the upgraded elements of building from their current BER rating of F to B3. Rob Jenner, Atkins Aviation Director, said: “Getting this project to planning under Covid-19 restrictions has presented new challenges to us all but to successfully lodge an application with such a sensitive proposed transformation is remarkable and a fantastic achievement by the whole project team.”
Michael McDonnell Managing Editor of Irish Construction Industry Magazine & Plan Magazine
