Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea airport set to open by end of next year
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Red Sea Global (RSG), the developer behind Saudi Arabia’s new Red Sea International Airport and AMAALA resort, has appointed Reem Emirates Saudi to construct the façade and roof shell of the new gateway and its landside facilities.
The airport will be managed by daa International, the international subsidiary of Irish airport operator, daa, which last year signed a concession agreement worth over $266 million to oversee its development and operation.
“Red Sea International will set new standards in sustainable aviation, and the ongoing construction works are a critical part of building that legacy,” predicted RSG’s group CEO, John Pagano.
“Not only is the airport sustainably designed, but aesthetically it takes inspiration from the forms of the surrounding desert, the green oasis and the sea.
“The roof shell, which Reem Emirates Saudi will deliver, typifies this, with dune-like pods radiating out from the centre, providing an arresting welcome as guests first arrive to the Red Sea from above.”
According to RSG, the airport design will include shaded areas and natural ventilation that minimises reliance on air conditioning.
It will, it says, feature five mini-terminals, which allow areas to be closed during slower activity periods, curbing the need to air-condition all sections and waste energy.
At the same time, the entire airport will be run by renewable energy, supporting RSG’s ambition to usher in a carbon-neutral, net-zero era for airport designs and operations.
Reem Emirates Saudi says that it will adopt innovative, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly solutions throughout the facade design, structural engineering, manufacturing, and installation, aligned with industry-leading Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications.
The company’s general manager, Naser Al Marzooqi, said: “Our partnership with RSG marks the start of an exciting chapter in revolutionising airport offerings, while closely aligning with the strategic goals of Vision 2030.
“We are excited to bring our in-depth knowledge and local expertise to the project and hope to see such world-class standards of sustainable airports become more widespread throughout the region.”
Designed by international architecture firm Foster + Partners, the new gateway is on track to welcome its first passengers in 2023.
It is initially expected to handle a few thousand passengers per annum before welcoming up to one million domestic and international tourists per year by 2030.
Visitor numbers will be limited to one million passengers per annum, says its developers, based on the environmental handling capacity of the new Red Sea resort.