The Spanish-Dutch consortium KL AIR, formed by architecture firms Kaan and Lamela and engineering companies ABT and Ineco, has been awarded the international tender to design the new terminal at the Amsterdam-Schiphol airport, beating other prestigious firms in the final phase. The project has also been supported by the plastic artist Arnout Meijer Studio and the specialized engineering companies DGMR and Planeground.

The future terminal will cover approximately 100,500 m², with a capacity for up to 14 million passengers and will be located next to terminals 1, 2 and 3, to the south of the Schiphol Plaza. The works are expected to be completed in 2023. The spatial distribution of the new terminal, its design and the treatment of its façades are aimed at integrating it with Schiphol Plaza, the railway station and other possible future expansions. This will be possible thanks to the proposal’s clear architecture and spatial extension.

One of the fundamental aspects of the design of the new terminal is its urban integration with the rest of the airport, which will guarantee a perfect connection between the new and the existing elements. Inside the building, the overlapping of passenger flows at different levels will make it possible to clearly distinguish the departure hall and the baggage claim area on the ground floor. Also, the access roads to the terminal will be integrated urban elements that will help Schiphol remain a “compact city”.

According to the team of designers, “The main source of architectural inspiration has been to preserve the DNA of the original 1967 design designed by De Weger and Duintjers together with the interior designer Kho Liang, characterized by its abundant natural light, its simplicity and an imposing spatiality.”

The new large-scale terminal will offer travellers different scenarios in an environment full of natural light. The subtlety of the proposed design will contribute to the use of the intuitive spaces without reducing its functionality.

The façades will be formed by large glass elements that will allow the views of the vibrant activity of the airport, as well as the open sky over the Dutch landscape. The sustainability criteria inherent to the design will be evident in the different materials to be used, such as the wooden flooring on the platform, and the abundant vegetation of the large patios.

The structural modularity and repetitive rhythm in the façades and on the roof will provide tranquillity and give unity to the new terminal, while at the same time providing a solid foundation for any future expansion. Integration and timelessness characterize this new link in Schiphol’s evolution.

We open this issue with the news of the contract awarded recently for the design of the new terminal at Schiphol Airport, a project that will make us a participant in the expansion of one of the most important airports in the world. This excellent news joins the announcements of the recent contracts to execute the master plan for the Dammam Airport and the expansion and rehabilitation of the Liberia airport. These international contracts reflect Ineco’s strength and competitiveness in the aeronautical sector, and are complemented by articles covering the projects and construction supervision in two airports in Cape Verde, and the feature article on the aeronautical safety studies.

In the railway sector, the cover story highlights another large project that has already been completed: the high-speed line that our experts have designed in Egypt to connect Cairo, Luxor and Hurghada. More than 1,000 kilometres in length, it is the longest section of high-speed track ever built by Ineco, only recently surpassed by the 1,500 kilometres of another similar project, the high- speed line between New Delhi and Kolkata.

The latest international contracts awarded to Ineco reflect our strength and competitiveness in the aeronautical sector

Projects such as the Indian project and this most recent project in Egypt, are enormous railway challenges that clearly demonstrate the capacity and expertise of the teams, made up of more than one hundred people who contributed to make them a reality. In total, the projects required two years of work which, in order to ensure the success of the study, involved various Egyptian public entities responsible for the implementation of the project, led by the Ministry of Transport and the National Railways of Egypt.

This study by Ineco, with the support of Adif and Renfe, exports the experience and know-how of Spanish engineering and industry in the design, construction and maintenance of high-speed lines. Experience that has pushed us to continue our participation in the development of high-performance networks, such as HS2 in the UK, in which Ineco has been awarded a new contract, projects for the installation of the ERTMS in Denmark, the railway integration works in the historic city of León, and the renovation of the San Bernardo station in Seville, all of which are described in this issue.

Lastly, we cap off this issue with a new section titled In Closing, in which our professionals tell us about the latest developments in their respective areas. In this case, we are starting with Rocío Viñas, our deputy director general of Cooperation and Innovation, who discusses the Spanish Hyperloop project. A closing that is aimed at sharing new developments in the sector with our readers.