Aruba Airport Authority (AAA), the operator of Queen Beatrix International Airport in Aruba, has awarded a design consultancy contract to Dutch architectural firm NACO for its Gateway 2030 redevelopment and expansion plan. The project is valued at US$200m with construction scheduled to commence in 2018.
Queen Beatrix Airport reached its capacity limits in 2016, when it served 2.6 million passengers. The development will increase the airport’s capacity by adding three new contact gates and two bus gates, as well as offering US Preclearance.
NACO will provide overall design and development services for the airport’s expansion and redevelopment. As lead consultant, the organization will head the design and tender processes, which will be executed over the next four years.
The centerpiece of the redevelopment project will be the new and expanded check-in facilities, baggage system and upgrades of the screening process to full EDS TSA standards for USA bound passengers. The new baggage system will also include a full sortation capability allowing non-USA-bound flights to check-in with USA-bound flights, thus improving efficiency and utilization of the airport’s capacity. With these new facilities, passengers will experience shorter queuing times and improved service levels during peak check-in times.
To minimize the airport’s footprint on the environment, the project has been registered for a LEED Silver accreditation. This entails design features including green energy produced by solar panels. The design team will incorporate an automated building management system for lighting and cooling based on the occupancy. A solar study will determine the build-up of facades and roofs to avoid solar gain while maximizing the use of natural light.
James Fazio, CEO of AAA, said, “We are extremely excited to kick off this vital expansion project together with NACO to create an airport that Aruba will be proud of. We are confident that NACO’s expertise will ensure a greener and more user-friendly expanded airport that will especially enhance the USA-bound passenger experience at Aruba’s only airport.”
Paul Govaerts, director at NACO, said, “We look forward to continuing our long standing relationship with AAA. Our design team offers a combination of extensive global expertise and local knowledge to expand the airport, ultimately creating an enhanced passenger experience and boosting economic development in the region.”