Carrasco International Airport (MVD/SUMU), Montevideo, Uruguay

Carrasco International Airport or as it is widely known in Uruguay, Aeropuerto Internacional de Carrasco General Cesareo L. Berisso, is a private airport owned and operated by Puerta del Sur. This company was appointed by the Uruguayan government in 2003 to operate and improve the airport making it the major hub for Uruguay – this is the largest airport in the country and an airport improvement fee is charged to passengers.

The airport, which is one of only two airports in the country that provide year round international connections, is located just north of Ciudad de la Costa in the Canelones department and located 11 miles (18km) to the east of Montevideo (the capital).

The airport has three runways: 01/19 7,382ft, 2,250m; 06/24 10,499ft, 3,200m and 10/28 5,577ft, 1,700m. Runway 06/24 was recently improved and lengthened to 3,200m, which now allows the airport to offer non-stop flights to the US and Europe.

There are currently in excess of 1.5 million passengers a year using the airport but as this airport is being projected as the gateway to Uruguay these numbers are set to increase so that the airport will be serving around 2.8 million passengers a year by 2010.

Facilities at the airport are somewhat limited with there being just a single air bridge (with glass walls), which means that many passenger transfers are carried out by bus.

New terminal building

The airport has long been overdue for expansion and this will now take the form of a new terminal building. In February 2007 construction was started on a new terminal building, which will require an investment of $134m and will be located parallel to runway 06/24.

The new building was designed by the Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly (now based in New York). The terminal is scheduled to open in early 2009 and will operate in conjunction with the current terminal. In addition the construction project includes a new $7m cargo terminal.

Amenities

This is the first airport terminal building that Rafael Viñoly has designed and his efforts have been directed to providing an airy well-lit public-friendly building. The public zones and amenities are emphasised with the provision of an abundance of open space and natural light.

The arrivals area encompasses a fully glazed mezzanine level to help orient passengers to the terminal space before they descend to the baggage claim and other services. In addition there is a public, landscaped terrace and a restaurant occupying the second floor that provides excellent views of the runway and the main concourse.

The terminal will have independent access roads serving departures on the first floor and arrivals on the ground level covered by a roof canopy. For even more visual impact an open atrium next to the street entrance opens the ground floor of the terminal to the monumental space of the main hall, which visually and spatially links the start and end stages of the journey.

The architect's main design strengths are a curved roof to maintain a low profile on the visual landscape, good use of daylighting, thin roof supports and maximum glazing, the ability to guide travellers through the airport and the provision of public spaces for meeters and greeters.

The total area of the new terminal building will be 32,000m² and there will be an integrated car park for 1,200 vehicles.

Contractors

Rafael Viñoly Architects PC of New York City is the architect for the terminal building and general airport expansion. The associate architect is Carla Bechelli Architects and the structural engineers are Thornton Tomasetti Group and Magnone-Pollio Ing. Civiles. The mechanical engineer is Ing. Luis Lagomarsino & Associates and the plumbing engineer is Estudio Jack Yaffe Berro. The electrical engineer is Ing. Ricardo Hofstadter and the cost estimator is Campiglia Construcciones. The project is being managed in-house by Puerta del Sur SA (Alex Regueiro) and the code consultant for the project is Hughes Associates, Inc.