{"id":217073,"date":"2025-06-26T23:07:15","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T23:07:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/217073\/"},"modified":"2025-06-26T23:07:15","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T23:07:15","slug":"zha-to-design-new-arrivals-terminal-at-lithuanias-vilnius-airport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/217073\/","title":{"rendered":"ZHA to design new arrivals terminal at lithuania’s vilnius airport"},"content":{"rendered":"

Zaha Hadid Architects wins competition for Vilnius Airport<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)<\/strong><\/a> wins the international competition to design the new arrivals terminal at Vilnius Airport in Lithuania. Positioned as one of the main gateways for the Baltic region, this project<\/strong><\/a> marks a strategic expansion to accommodate up to 10.6 million passengers annually \u2013 an infrastructural milestone aligning with Vilnius\u2019 long-term urban masterplan<\/strong><\/a>. A defining feature of ZHA\u2019s proposal is the sculpted timber<\/strong><\/a> roof<\/strong> <\/a>structure topping the terminal, inspired by traditional Lithuanian craft and folklore.<\/p>\n

\"ZHA
renderings by Negativ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

sodai ornaments inspire the plated timber canopy<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The ZHA team<\/strong><\/a> draws on the geometry of the sodai, delicate straw garden ornaments inscribed in UNESCO\u2019s list of intangible cultural heritage. Suspended above the arrivals hall, the pleated timber canopy evokes the intricate rhomboid and triangular forms of these traditional decorations. Skylights carved into the roof structure cast daylight into the terminal\u2019s interiors, guiding travelers through the space and offering glimpses toward the city. \u2018Evoking the experience of being immersed within traditional sodai, the terminal\u2019s pleated roof finished in timber from local forests defines the interiors and reflects the art form\u2019s delicate, interconnected geometries,\u2019 the architects explain.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The space is designed to be practical and easy to navigate, so people can move through it naturally and always know where they are intuitively. Passengers will move through a light-filled sequence of spaces that set accessibility, comfort, and visual connection as priorities. \u2018For us, functionality and the highest level of passenger experience are most important,\u2019 shares Simonas Bartkus, CEO of Lithuanian Airports.<\/strong> \u2018The winning proposal combines these key requirements with unique architectural solutions that connect the airport\u2019s contemporary and future infrastructure with the cultural identity of Lithuania.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"ZHA
ZHA wins the international competition to design the new arrivals terminal at Vilnius Airport<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

part of a broader transportation vision in lithuania<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Strategically sited between the historic Terminal 1 and the recently completed departure terminal, the new structure completes a tripartite ensemble. Its form and massing are calibrated to preserve and frame the original 1950s building. Vilnius Airport is linked to a broader transportation vision, including the upcoming Rail Baltica station, regional and local rail, bus and taxi services, and cycling and pedestrian routes that will converge at Airport Plaza, a new intermodal hub for the city. \u2018The result is an architectural language that is both innovative and rooted in local heritage. Looking to the future, the terminal\u2019s design offers a seamless passenger experience directly connected with the city\u2019s transport network,\u2019 explains ZHA director Ludovico Lombardi.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"ZHA
this project marks a strategic expansion to accommodate up to 10.6 million passengers annually<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

glazing, ventilation, and smart systems adapt to passenger flows<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Environmentally, the terminal targets a BREEAM \u2018Excellent\u2019 rating, leveraging passive design strategies to reduce operational energy. Double-insulated glazing, hybrid natural ventilation, and predictive building systems respond to daily passenger flows, optimizing comfort and energy use. More than 13,000 square meters of solar panels will be installed on the terminal\u2019s roof and adjacent structures. Rainwater harvesting, stormwater management, and greywater recycling systems further anchor the project in a vision of environmental stewardship. \u2018The design presents a mature architectural solution for a public infrastructure project of this scale,\u2019 says Vilnius City Chief Executive Officer Laura Kairien\u0117.<\/strong> \u2018It boldly steps into the future but maintains respect for its location and the environment.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"ZHA
the pleated roof is inspired by traditional Lithuanian craft and folklore<\/p>\n

\"ZHA
the ZHA team draws on the geometry of the sodai<\/p>\n

\"ZHA
skylights carved into the roof structure cast daylight into the terminal<\/p>\n

\"ZHA
the space is designed to be practical and easy to navigate<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Zaha Hadid Architects wins competition for Vilnius Airport \u00a0 Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) wins the international competition to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":217074,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3939],"tags":[86006,86007,4021,4020,4022,77,16,15,53247],"class_list":{"0":"post-217073","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-airport-architecture-and-design","9":"tag-architecture-in-lithuania","10":"tag-arts","11":"tag-arts-and-design","12":"tag-design","13":"tag-entertainment","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom","16":"tag-zaha-hadid"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114752182682326117","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=217073"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217073\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/217074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=217073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=217073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=217073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}