Norman Foster delivers new extension at Marseille Provence Airport Terminal 1, bridging the gap between Fernand Pouillon’s 1960’s terminal design and Richard Rogers' 1990’s airside development.
The extension aims to improve passenger journeys through simple, bright, and navigable spaces. The terminal features a new ‘Coeur’ (heart in French) that provides a more cohesive arrival and departure sequence through intuitive wayfinding.
One of the most distinctive features of the Coeur is its inverted beam roof, which includes deep skylight boxes that echo the design of the original Pouillon building. These boxes showcase a combination of bespoke wall panelling and SAS200 concealed grid tiles finished in RAL9007, Grey Aluminium. This dramatic design enhances the natural light that enters the space, greatly reducing the need for artificial lighting. The solution provides Class A sound absorption to demanding, high traffic spaces, with 16mm acoustic pads supplied as standard. The dramatic depth of the skylights also allows for natural ventilation, minimising the need for assisted cooling.
Methodically placed between the coffered skylights, SAS600 rafts have been specified in RAL7016 Anthracite Grey to create a strong visual gridwork, serving as a bold wayfinding solution. The floating panels align perfectly with the building's straight lines, running parallel to the 22-metre-high glazing to facilitate simple navigation for passengers and enhance the geometric ceiling design.
Throughout the baggage area, SAS710 linear profiles provide a budget-conscious yet beautiful finish. Also coated in RAL9007, this system delivers a sleek, modern look that complements the building's more prominent features. SAS710 is particularly effective in high-traffic areas such as airport terminals due to its application for smoke extraction.
This project came to completion in June 2024 and will accommodate a predicted 11 million passenger journeys per year by the end of 2025. SAS International are proud to have worked alongside architects Foster + Partners and main contractor VINCI to deliver this future thinking project.
Infrastructure
Airport Marseille Provence
Foster & Partners
VINCI
2024
SAS200, SAS600, SAS710
Marseille, France