BSV

Urban Terminal in Be'er Sheva

 

I began 5th year with a solid programme- an international airport. As a former security personnel at Ben Gurion Airport, i know all about "behind the scene" of these type of buildings. Another significant reason is my afficiation with the subject of the circulation as an architectural generator throughout the years.

 

Recently The Israeli government signed an "open skies" agreement with lots of European airlines. all the factors involved came to the understanding that there is an actual need for a second international airport to take some of the load off Ben Gurion Airport. I chose to Locate it in Be'er Sheva for 2 main reasons: The 1st is more logical -The "TAMA35" plan, which aspire to gather the population of Israel in 4 major metropolin areas: Tel aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem and Be'er Sheva. The 2nd reason is more subjective- the desert as an inspiration.

 

At first, I was consecrating on the relations between the terminal and the city- cons and pros. I reviewed a few case-studies the brought me to the conclusion that the proximity of the airport to the city is elevating it financially and create a certain intensity, a unique, cosmopolitical one. I sought a way to let the city enjoy the cons without suffering the obvious cons- the noise, which might damage the local real estate market. I decided to re-use the runways of a nearby deserted air force base- Nevatim. This action basically challenges the known typology and morphology of airports as we know is and creates another part to the travelers' journey.

 

The Terminal is located at the eastern outskirts of Be'er Sheva, near several of urban focal points- Ben Gurion University, industrial area, future hi-tech district, Omer's hi-tech park, Israel Railway and Be'er Sheva Rivers' metropolin park. Another Spatial element that helped locating the terminal was Be'er Sheva circular round track- this is a marked hiking trail which creates a unique space that mediates between the urban-landscape and nature. the trail meets the terminal at the top of the observatory, near Danni Karavan's "Monument to the Negev Brigade". I planned an extension to the existing industrial area which inhabits airport-support programme like catering, conferences halls etc. and urban functions as well as thickening of the existing industrial area.

 

During the time i spent at the airport as part of my research i found that the is a great dissonance between the urgency of getting to the plane and the 3 hours u end up spending at the duty free area,  therefore i decided to insert leisure programme to the terminal, making it a metropolin's attraction.