CUKUROVA REGIONAL AIRPORT COMPLEX

Adana is an agricultural and commercial center located in southern Turkey. The architects chose to place a priority on the “existing natural texture and the dominant agricultural character of the region.”

Efforts were made to minimize energy use in the 325.000-square-meter (3,5 million square foot) terminal, which is intended to serve ten million passengers a year. As described by the architects, a “green shell acts as a second roof that fades away and becomes permeable at some places in the passenger terminal and the multistory parking buildings allowing natural air ventilation.” Interior gardens bring sunlight into the passenger areas as well.

Careful attention was paid to the technical aspects of the project, such as passenger-baggage flow, ease of management and maintenance, growth potential, and opportunities for flexible use. The reinforced concrete structure makes no use of stucco, paint or other finishes. The architects sought to make the passenger hall modest in price but “assertive in the volumetric impact of the materials.” They explain that the airport complex emerges as a sort of “man-made topography” that is practically invisible because of its green roof, which requires little maintenance.*