Aimé Césaire Airport is the main aerial gateway to the island of Martinique. It is intended to embody the island’s identity, values, and promises. The new terminal tells the story of Martinique through an allegory of Mount Pelée. Echoing Aimé Césaire’s quote, “Pelée will be reborn,” a lava-colored stretched membrane unfolds like an Ariadne’s thread through the airport’s principal spaces. Spherical in form, it bursts forth at the eastern end of the new terminal roof. The presence of the island’s lush vegetation is evoked through the interplay of light and shadow created by sunshades and by the screen-printed façades opening onto the surrounding landscape.
The new terminal results from the extension and restructuring of the existing building. The passenger journey has been completely reorganized. A new security screening checkpoint has been created within the extension, in a large space perfectly suited to the latest screening equipment. It is located at the interface between the public hall and the extended departure lounge, which has been redesigned to accommodate a commercial area centered on the island’s identity and dedicated to passenger well-being. Throughout both departure and arrival flows, the passenger journey is smooth and comfortable, providing users with a high-quality experience. The various extensions dedicated to passenger boarding and disembarkation (regional pier, jetty) and to the processes of the new baggage handling system (TBO building) ensure optimal operation of the facilities, with technical processes discreetly giving way to the passenger experience.
The environmental strategy is expressed through a focus on energy efficiency, relying on a high-performance building envelope, particularly façades that provide very effective protection against solar heat gains. The regional pier is certified HQE (High Environmental Quality).
Client
SAMAC (Martinique Aimé Césaire Airport Corporation)
Frantz Thodiard, President of the Management Board
Lead contractor: Inso and Condotte d’Acqua
Design Team
Architect: AIA Architectes
All-trades Engineering: AIA Ingénierie
Environmental Expertise: AIA Environnement
Scheduling and Site Management (OPC): CRX Management
MEP / Operation / Maintenance: Idex Énergie Antilles Guyane
Local Engineering Office: CETE Ingénierie
Program
Extension of the passenger terminal, creation of a regional terminal, extension of the baggage screening systems building.
Area
24,000 m²
Cost
Construction cost: €43 million (excl. VAT)
Schedule
Competition winner: July 2017
Completion: 2024