Since its opening in the 1950’s, Zurich Airport has become one of the most important aviation hubs in Europe. Following the airport’s previous additions of Dock E the Airside Center and The Circle, an international two-stage design competition was kicked off in 2020 to replace the aging Dock A. Expected to open in 10 years, the new Dock A, which includes Schengen and Non-Schengen gates, airside retail, lounges, offices, the new air traffic control tower, and an extension of the immigration hall, will be the next milestone in the airport’s expansion.The Dock A extension, comprised predominantly of solid Swiss wood, will celebrate Swiss building tradition and innovation and strengthen the airports continued status as the gateway of Switzerland. Based on BIC’s concept of the Raumfachwerk, a robust yet flexible structural framework, the design proposal celebrates the passenger experience and movement through the airport. Located adjacent to the existing Airside Center and Terminal 1, the new Dock A is defined by two main areas: the central hub with shopping, airport services for arriving and departing passengers and vertical circulation, and the pier with the gates, waiting areas and the fixed links connecting to the planes.To enhance the passenger experience, the spaces within the new terminal use daylight as a natural way finding system. A linear skylight, created by the unfolding roof of the pier, widens toward the central hub and opens up into the atrium where all departing, arriving, and transferring passengers meet. By placing the control tower in its center, the tower is experienced from the inside as a beacon that creates a sense of place, akin to a town square rather than an airport.A contemporary, pared-back material palette, the structure, floors, and ceilings of Dock A are envisioned with timber as the main material. As a renewable local resource, this material choice allows for efficient prefabrication during the construction process while paying homage to the long-standing local tradition of wood construction in Switzerland.The main loadbearing system of the building is based on V-shaped timber columns, providing a structural function while also serving as a reference both the iconic Swiss alpine landscapes and the centuries-old tradition of timber construction and traditional pitched roofs.
Since its opening in the 1950’s, Zurich Airport has become one of the most important aviation hubs in Europe. Following the airport’s previous additions of Dock E the Airside Center and The Circle, an international two-stage design competition was kicked off in 2020 to replace the aging Dock A. Expected to open in 10 years, the new Dock A, which includes Schengen and Non-Schengen gates, airside retail, lounges, offices, the new air traffic control tower, and an extension of the immigration hall, will be the next milestone in the airport’s expansion.The Dock A extension, comprised predominantly of solid Swiss wood, will celebrate Swiss building tradition and innovation and strengthen the airports continued status as the gateway of Switzerland. Based on BIC’s concept of the Raumfachwerk, a robust yet flexible structural framework, the design proposal celebrates the passenger experience and movement through the airport. Located adjacent to the existing Airside Center and Terminal 1, the new Dock A is defined by two main areas: the central hub with shopping, airport services for arriving and departing passengers and vertical circulation, and the pier with the gates, waiting areas and the fixed links connecting to the planes.To enhance the passenger experience, the spaces within the new terminal use daylight as a natural way finding system. A linear skylight, created by the unfolding roof of the pier, widens toward the central hub and opens up into the atrium where all departing, arriving, and transferring passengers meet. By placing the control tower in its center, the tower is experienced from the inside as a beacon that creates a sense of place, akin to a town square rather than an airport.A contemporary, pared-back material palette, the structure, floors, and ceilings of Dock A are envisioned with timber as the main material. As a renewable local resource, this material choice allows for efficient prefabrication during the construction process while paying homage to the long-standing local tradition of wood construction in Switzerland.The main loadbearing system of the building is based on V-shaped timber columns, providing a structural function while also serving as a reference both the iconic Swiss alpine landscapes and the centuries-old tradition of timber construction and traditional pitched roofs.
