Donetsk, Ukraine
The multi million Euro state of the art airport terminal which was supposed to be built in Zagreb stretching on 70.000 hectors of land with a capacity of handling 5 million passengers annually with 12 air bridges will now be built in Ukraine instead. In May this year the Croatian government disappointed many aviation enthusiasts by announcing that the Zagreb Airport terminal project has been cancelled due to the global financial crisis, despite the fact that many governments are investing in infrastructure projects as a way of beating the credit crunch. The project, which would have cost a total of 285.9 million Euros, was supposed to make Zagreb Airport a regional leader. The ideal look of the new terminal was chosen last year and designed IGH. The entire project will see a minor modification and will be built in the city of Donetsk in Ukraine. The airport project is expected to be completed by 2012, when Ukraine will co-host the European Football Championships. The new airport will be named after the well known composer Sergei Prokofiev. The project's architects are Branko Kincl, Velimir Neidhardt, and Jure Radić, and it will be financed by the Donetsk District government and local steel investors.Donetsk is similar to Zagreb in size. Zagreb’s airport project has been put on hold until further notice with the airport’s current terminal capacity too small for the incoming volume of passengers. The IGH designed terminal has been nominated for an award at the upcoming World Architecture Festival to be held in Barcelona, Spain in November. Meanwhile, Tonči Peović, the current director of Dubrovnik Airport is expected to be named the new CEO of Zagreb Airport on September 15.
Now that's sad. Zagreb airport is desperate for expansion! I am sick and tired of that socialist Tito-era style grey, bland, boring and many many other words describing it of how ugly that building looks.
ReplyDeleteThis project should've been looked at being constructed earlier, before this whole economic disaster started.
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ReplyDeleteRubbish - €280m for an expansion of that small size is criminal.
The Airport although grand would not have suited Zagreb. I do not know what is wrong with the original (90's era) design.
ReplyDeleteThe Zagreb expansion project should have been completed by now and since it is not, you could argue that Zagreb and Croatia has lost a lot of business and money through investment which has gone else where.
ANONYMOUS is spot on with this one - wrong project at the wrong cost!! For that price it should have been a 10m capacity to last at least another 40 years - airports are more than about fancy designs, they've also got to be practical to use!
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone denies the fact that ZAG is very poor in terms of passenger facilities (possibly the worst in Europe!). The cheapest and most effective solution is still to expand what is there: terminal is in right location and there is room to expand both the terminal and tarmac.
sad to read that ZAG will not get the expansion it needs. as mentioned already, the cost of building the terminal is way too high. i hope there is some good news to come by years end.
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