AEROPORT ROLAND-GARROS : the new terminal is emerging from the ground

Started in September 2021, the construction of the new terminal which will be dedicated to arrivals continues according to schedule at Roland-Garros airport. The assembly of its metal structure and the main beams of its framework is in progress, using two cranes. The first elements of the secondary framework of the building, metal and wood, are also being implemented. The installation of its aluminum roof begins at the end of September, the building will be closed and covered next April. The commissioning of the new terminal is scheduled for December 2023. Société Aéroportuaire is investing 65 million euros in this operation, with the support of the European Union, of the State and the Réunion Region. The new western terminal will increase the airport’s handling capacity to 3 million passengers per year, a level of traffic which should be reached by 2030. The extension of Roland-Garros airport also aims to implement a new hold baggage processing system., in accordance with European regulations which will apply from March 2024. Designed by the AIA Life Designers firm and Reunion architect Olivier Brabant, the new terminal will be the first bioclimatic airport building of this size, in the world, in a tropical environment. It will be naturally ventilated in order to limit the energy consumption of the platform.. Air conditioning will be reserved for the most densely frequented closed areas, which will represent only 7% of the total surface area of ​​the terminal. The facade, equipped with adjustable blinds, will let the trade winds in. The interior air will then be evacuated through various openings, including a central “canyon” separating the two sections of the roof. Large air fans will complete the system.