Construction of Belgrade Airport’s new “Central Zone”, as well as its new duty free area are advancing, with work expected to be completed this year. Furthermore, the overhaul of the airport’s main runway is entering its final phase.
Central Zone
Work on the new Central Zone and overhaul of the airport corridors, covering an area of 10.000 square metres, in the departures area where the A and C wings meet is underway. The project, designed by A3 Architects, will blend in from the new duty free, currently under construction, and feature new seating, as well as food and beverage facilities. So far, new flooring has been added and areas cleared to make way for the new concept. Inspired by Belgrade, the flow of its rivers, and the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, the core of the design of the Central Zone is the interpretation of the idea of flow. The floor is mostly ceramic with stone pieces reminiscent of a riverbed, while the walls that will cover the large mezzanine will be clad in reflective undulating steel sheeting that will evoke the reflection of water.
The "islands" in the central zone, which will represent open seating areas for passengers overlooking surrounding restaurants, mimic water-shaped forms, and their covering will be vinyl with a wooden pattern, identical to those found in the new part of the airport. Seating for passengers on the islands will be made up of unconventional, modular wooden furniture with a winding form that fits organically into the design and inspires dynamic movement and interaction among passengers. Greenery will be sporadically placed in the central zone, including linden and oak trees and planters with bushy greenery. The idea of a canopy as a gathering place has been inspired by the tradition of Belgrade taverns, which often have a terrace or balcony in the shade of large trees. The Old Town Bistro, as a concept interpreted in a contemporary way, has been given as part of the task for restaurant lessees who will make up part of the Central Zone.
New duty free
Construction work is advancing on the new Avolta Duty Free Shop, which will blend into the new Central Zone. The new retail space will be a large walk-through duty-free store, which is the newest incarnation of Avolta’s “store of the future” concept. New features will include: two additional shop-in-shop concepts - a wellbeing concept catering to the growing demand for health, wellbeing and sustainability focused products, plus an immersive experiential concept Haute Parfumerie, elevating the fragrance discovery experience. A new “Welcome Bar” will greet travellers at every entrance with a range of beverages and ice-cream and a small seating area, while the “Mind. Body. Soul. Café” will build on the shop-in-shop concept to offer organic products such as fresh juices and healthy raw cakes with a dedicated small seating area. Another new feature will be the Rakia Bar, celebrating the region’s potent fruit brandies, offering a full selection of rakija with customers sampling in a large bar and seated area, which will be complemented by a full food menu. Avolta will also run ten dedicated fashion boutiques at the airport. In addition to the existing Boss and Victoria’s Secret stores these will include, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, and Avolta’s multibrand store concept Urban Attitude. Two dedicated children’s shops, Candy Fair and Toy Fair, will be opened alongside a specialised souvenir store Belgrade Market, which will “embody the spirit of the region”.
Runway overhaul
The ongoing overhaul of Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport’s main runway (12L/30R) is expected to be completed by June of this year. Once all construction work is finalised, the runway must receive necessary clearance from the state’s aviation stakeholders and regulators. The 3.400-metre runway, built in 1962, has been completely overhauled and layered with high-resistance concrete, specially developed for the project, to improve its weight-bearing capacity. It features a new drainage and LED lighting system, as well as a new system of taxiways, including four rapid exit taxiways (RETs), which will enable aircraft to turn off at higher speeds than regular exit taxiways thereby minimising runway occupancy times. They have now been linked to the inserted runway, which was opened last year, and will be used as a parallel taxiway to the overhauled runway in the future.
A number of other projects at the airport complex are progressing, including the expansion of the check-in area, which will complement the 28 check-in desks installed last year in the new Central Processor building. Overall, the airport will boast some ninety check-in desks once the project is completed. New passport eGates for automated border control are expected to be installed this summer. with ten eGates for departing and arriving passengers. Furthermore, work is ongoing on the complete overhaul and expansion of the baggage claim area, with the installation of new conveyor belts and a new Baggage Handling System (BHS).
Recently, a local food chain opened its new restaurant within the airport complex, next to Terminal 1 following several years of construction due to bureaucratic issues. It has replaced the former "Borik" restaurant after winning an airport tender to open a food and beverage facility on the premises.
A new investment cycle is expected to commence following the completion of the above projects, including phase 2.2 of Terminal 2’s expansion, which will see the addition of new gates in the C wing of the facility, scheduled for completion before the start of Expo 2027 in Belgrade in May of that year.
Skadar na Bojani was completed faster, and we're not even talking about the quality of the works. Sad.
ReplyDeleteThese are different phases of the project. All the work is actually on schedule.
DeleteHaters gonna hate.
DeleteI am impressed with the way they did not distrupt the traffic and took piece by piece of the terminal and overhaul it. Not an easy work to do especially with record braking traffic. Whether you like the design or not, we can discuss. Funny how random person on the blog, with commentators often having comments that show lack basic knowledge of the business, aviation, politics, etc can understand the quality of works done! Just wondering
DeleteThey did a great job considering they started in the middle of the pandemic where we saw shortages of everything. I took the flight from BEG 2 weeks ago and it looks super nice already .
DeleteConcession was awarded in early 2018, managing airport started in late 2018. Passengers who travel only during summer season will not experience this renovated central area this summer but will do in 2025. Taking more than six years for passengers to experience this most important part of their transfer or departing journey? It's not pandemic, it's the wrong order of projects and priorities.
DeleteThe first priority was to extend gate area and aprons so planes can park and the amount of passengers can be handled, which they did. Not the number of shops. What you have written is the least important out of these.
DeleteThey could have first extended apron B, create apron E and more, and then create temorary hall like previous BUD LCC "terminal" until Processor Extension and this central areas are renovated. They could have built Processor Extension AND extend Pier C at the same time. Too late now
Delete^ sorry you are talking absolute nonsense. You can't just build a hall at B and E aprons (btw they actually built an E apron) because it obstructs traffic safety. I like when people know everything without actually knowing anything
Delete@Anon 10:51 quality of work has shown in many ocassions when there was a bit heavier rain over Belgrade..Central hall, gates, many times flooded, I witnessed myself, and leaking every time when heavier rain
DeleteYes, they flooded since the terminal was an active construction site. Any flooding recently?
DeleteIs there any more space for future gate expansion after extending the C gates? Or would the only option be a satelite terminal?
ReplyDeleteThey will expand the A Gates too...
DeleteLooking at the satelite map of the airport it doesnt look like there is space for more expansion. unless they buy/take land from the farmers around the airport. and any expansion would be on the other side of the runway or on the side where the museum is now.
Deletewe once called all this positions #C Dobanovci# .Kind a joke , but truth
DeleteSo the extension will be C13 to C17 right?
ReplyDeleteC15 to C18 AFAIK
DeleteNothing even matters with them stinky toilets.
ReplyDeleteSpending too much time in toilets, aren't we?
DeleteToilets are stinking because people do shit there, but they are very clean.
DeleteFor example, I've been many times in Madrid, clean and being cleaned all the time, but smell after shit because that's what they are made for.
I really hope that one day we'll grow up and stop complaining about everything, and start appreciating and enjoying what we got.
And, I really wondered if those toilet guys (I'll refer to them as toilet guys from now on) here farth Channel Blue or Dior Sauvage ?!
Toilets are not clean under Vinci, but they are much better than before, when Mr. Vlaisavljević "guaranteed" for cleanliness.
DeleteAirport toilets are what they are around the world due to their users (mostly dirty), however, BEG does seem to have a plumbing issue in several newly built restrooms.
Sorry also for the smells there is solutions of fragrance let through the ventilation. But yes also pipes seem to be too small for an airport toilet..
Deleteso you checked the pipes?
DeleteHave you passed through Abu Dhabi? Well, THOSE are stinky toilets.
DeleteAre they still planning to replace the old jet bridges at the farthest A gates or have they given up on that? Someone mentioned earlier in the comments here that new jet bridges had been ordered and were supposed to be installed in November of last year.
ReplyDeleteright! still the ones of the 70s there
DeleteIt looks great 👌
ReplyDeleteThat actually looks pretty good!
ReplyDeletelooking forward to flying from beg tmrw...
ReplyDeleteConfluence design theme might seem cool for architects at the high level, but not too many passengers walking through will make that association. They are looking for functional, bright, comfortable experience. Those hard, uncomfy sitting areas are not appealing.
ReplyDeleteI still dont understand if the runway 12R/30L will be used after the 12L/30R renovation..
ReplyDeleteNo, it has been said numerous times it becomes a parallel taxiway to the runway. Should 12L/30R for some reason be unable to handle flights, then 12R/30L can be used.
DeleteThey finally opened Walter :D
ReplyDeleteNot sure if I'm happy about that. A restaurant was needed, but Walter in the last few years has lost it's appel, at least for me.
DeleteFrom the outside, the airport looks modern and nice. While inside I find it disappointing, even with all things finished. It's weird Tesla was not enough to inspire them for the inside area so they came up with...confluence, basically just a concept for something noone will get. Every airport is a confluence, it doesn't work for all Belgrade-related topics. But I think general opinion is people just waiting this to be finished and to have fully functional airport again.
ReplyDeleteCould I find anywhere map of gates/aprons at Nikola Tesla?
ReplyDeleteGoogle Beg Nikola Tesla layout and look at the pictures section.
DeleteA new terminal on ATR stand would be interesting
ReplyDeleteLooks kinda cheap if I’m being honest
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Its not a sucess of a project in my opinion
DeleteIt is. I was there in the end of January and it is said
Deleterender i opet render...
ReplyDeleteI recognize the guy from picture number 5! Just think, in a couple of years all eyes will be on moving the airport to BJY since it already has 2 runways and has a lot more room to grow.
ReplyDeleteBelgrade unique "confluence" which looks exactly the same as a shopping mall of Vinci's Lisbon airport...
ReplyDeleteOr like Heathrow Terminal 4, which looks a lot like the render photos of the main processor and Tesla Square
Delete