Oslo plans for terminal extension

Norwegian airport operator, Avinor, has chosen the design for the new terminal to be built at Oslo Airport (OSL), Passenger Terminal.com reported.
Of the five competing teams, it was decided that the proposal from Narud-Stokke-Wiig, Cowi, Norconsult, Aas-Jacobsen, Ing, and Per Rasmussen, “constitutes an excellent architectural solution offering very good functionality, large economic potential and satisfies all the new environmental and energy requirements.”
The current terminal at OSL was originally built to handle 17 million passengers. The growth in air traffic in recent years has meant that OSL has had to undertake a number of measures to increase passenger capacity. The most recent is the extension of the current terminal to the east, which will be completed in April. Although the increase in air traffic levelled off in 2008, and traffic figures are currently decreasing, OSL predicts that air traffic will increase from 2010.
Nic Nilsen, managing director of OSL, says, “We are thinking long-term and building for the future. Although we are currently seeing a slight drop-off, the long-term need will be far above the 20 million passengers the current terminal can handle.”
The proposal suggests building Terminal 2 as an extension of the current terminal. This means that passengers will only have to negotiate one building. The railway station will be used to separate the two parts of the building from each other. This also ensures the shortest possible walking distance from the station to check-in. Security control will continue to be organised as a single unit. A new pier with aircraft parking areas is planned to the north.
Initially, the departures hall will have 36 check-in desks. The baggage system that is being planned will be able to handle 3,000 bags an hour. Immediately after security control, the passengers will have a short walk to domestic and international gates. There will be an area for restaurants and cafés, duty-free and other shops. The proposal includes a viewpoint for visitors, with a food and drinks service.
Airport officials intend to make the new terminal carbon neutral as far as possible, and are focusing on ecology and sustainability in connection with planning, building and running the new terminal.

Source: Transportweekly