Read the following article about airports, and then answer the questions on the opposite page
AIRPORT TERMINALS
There was a time, not so long ago, when terminal buildings at airports in major international cities were very unattractive. Fortunately, famous architects are now transforming these terminals into works of art. Not everyone likes all the new designs, but the five featured here have certainly been admired, and have inspired many discussions.
INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA
The terminal building at Incheon airport shows the best of traditional Korean design, and at the same time it is a futuristic model of efficiency. Before starting work, the architect travelled throughout the country. He visited ancient places and studied the design of religious buildings. The roofline of the terminal is similar to that of a Korean temple, and unusually for an airport, there are precious objects on display inside that are thousands of years old.
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA
Unlike the rest of the terminal buildings mentioned in this article, one of the terminals at Jeddah airport is only in operation during Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, which takes place once a year. This temporary, open-air terminal is covered with 210 white fibreglass tents. These tents help to cool the desert air by as much as 10 degrees Celsius without the need for air conditioning.
MADRID, SPAIN
The terminal here was built to provide the 50 million passengers who pass through it each year with a spacious, stress-free zone, where they can begin or end their journeys. Glass-panelled walls allow in plenty of light which creates this calming effect. There is a gently rolling roofline constructed from long beams of pale bamboo, and there are pylons that change colour as you walk through the terminal.
SINGAPORE
Singapore’s Changi airport has a cinema and a children’s playground with a gigantic slide. There’s no doubt that it is one of the world’s most action-packed terminals. It is also one of the most beautiful. The ‘butterfly’ roof has 919 skylights, which adjust to allow just the right amount of daylight inside. At night, these same skylights glow with lighting carefully hidden below the panels. The terminal’s most dramatic feature, however, is the vertical garden, also known as ‘The Green Wall’, which has four waterfalls and spans nearly 300 metres across the main building.
MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY
The beauty of this new terminal is its simplicity. The entire structure is under a gently arching rooftop that sweeps 350 metres across the landscape. The building is designed to blend in with its environment, and it offers a wide- open, welcoming public space, which is enjoyed by passengers and the loved ones who come to greet them. In Uruguay, it is still a tradition, and it is still possible, to meet your family and friends as they come off the plane
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