Design
The terminal has a sleek design, with two symmetrical "wings" and a sharp tip at its center which is specially visible when approaching the terminal from the sides. This original design has granted the building the nickname of "La Paloma" ("The Dove"). White concrete and glass have been used. The interiors are open and luminous spaces, distributed in two floors, the upper one for departures (check-in counters and gates) and the lower for arrivals.
There has been some criticism of Santiago Calatrava's design by Aena, the Spanish airport authority, because it seems difficult to make further enlargements in the terminal's capacity because the design is too closed. In spite of this, modifications have taken place in 2005-2006 in the check-in area to provide enhanced shopping facilities for travellers, with almost double the retail space now being offered.
Basques using the airport widely complain about its lack of an arrivals area, since once passengers clear customs, they step directly outside. However, there is a dramatic viewing gallery raised above the baggage reclaim area, where those waiting to greet passengers can wait and watch as they collect their baggage and leave the terminal. There is often waving and excitement as relatives or friends scan to see each other from the gallery, and the architect cites this in defence of his design of the arrivals area.
Calatrava also designed the Zubizuri bridge in Bilbao. Like the terminal, it has been praised by its architectural looks and criticized for impracticality.
Read more about this topic: Bilbao Airport
Famous quotes containing the word design:
“The reason American cars don’t sell anymore is that they have forgotten how to design the American Dream. What does it matter if you buy a car today or six months from now, because cars are not beautiful. That’s why the American auto industry is in trouble: no design, no desire.”
—Karl Lagerfeld (b. 1938)