Construction of the largest bioclimatic airport terminal

A sustainable concept for La Réunion Roland Garros Airport has already been initiated with a complete refurbishment. Now the international airport on the French island is strengthening its sustainable development with the addition of a terminal that is characterised above all by its bioclimatic ventilation concept. Systems from Kalzip have already impressed during the refurbishment work. The aerodynamically designed roof of the new terminal has now also been realised with Kalzip.

Energy-efficient refurbishment

Located in the Indian Ocean, the island of Réunion is exposed to increasingly intense climatic conditions. The task of adapting the entire area of the coastal airport to the extreme weather conditions was therefore of central importance. The first structural measure was to dismantle the old zinc roof surfaces and replace them with a new energy-efficient roof structure. A Kalzip warm roof system was used for this. An area of around 7500 m² is now equipped with efficient thermal insulation and Kalzip 65/400 in the AluPlusPatina surface.

A special kind of arrivals terminal

A team of architects from AIA Life Designers, Olivier Brabant Architecte (OBA), architecte associé and their partners worked together to create the design for the new arrivals terminal, the largest building of its kind to date. The bioclimatic concept determines the shape of the building. The aerodynamic architecture ensures natural ventilation, which contributes significantly to the building’s energy efficiency. The new arrivals terminal at La Réunion Roland Garros Airport was officially opened in March 2024.

Aerodynamic roof

The curved roof construction was realised in timber. The longest of these wooden waves measures 25 metres. For the roofing of the terminal, the planners opted for standing seam profiles from Kalzip. Kalzip 65/300 in the AluPlusPatina surface was used on the approximately 11,000 m² roof area. The standing seam profile sheets are roll-formed in accordance with the specified roof shape and thus help to direct the air flow.