Architect |
Wingardh
Arkitektkontor AB |
Date
Built |
completed
2001 |
Location |
Arlanda
Airport |
Description |
|
The control tower at Arlanda Airport was
designed by the architectural practice of
Wingardh Arkitektkontor AB and built between
1999 and 2001. It stands 83 metres
tall, the equivalent of 24 floors above
ground. The architect's website
explains that, ".... The dual
functions of the building are expressed
in a bifurcated tower. It handles
two kinds of traffic control: one for
take-offs and landings, the other for
directing traffic on the ground. There
is also a division here into technical
and human activity. The duality is
expressed in a dichotomy of colour and
form, with the two lookout points
perched like reconnoitering birds atop
the coupled shaft. The stripes allude to
the navigation marks of earlier times
... The central position of the
tower at Stockholm’s principal airport
has made it a landmark for the whole
area." In 2002 the Arlanda Airport Control Tower was awarded 1st prize in the European Award for Excellence in Concrete. The tower also provides another service to the public because it offers couples the opportunity to get married on the tower's balcony. The airport's website explains, "... Can there be a more elevated experience than a wedding up in Stockholm Arlanda’s control tower? Marry your partner 74 metres up above the airport with a dizzying view. On a clear day, you’ll see Uppsala Cathedral on the horizon. A wedding in the control tower with Airport VIP Service will be an amazing, unforgettable day for the bridal couple – as close to heaven as you can get." |