KOLKATA: The new integrated terminal building at Kolkata airport has been adjudged an engineering marvel, bagging the second highest Jury award in the prestigious competition organized by Engineering Watch, a professional publication dedicated to engineering community. The airport has also been declared as the second-most impactful engineering marvel.

The 1,80,000 sq metre terminal that can handle 20 million passengers a year was developed by the Airports Authority of India at a cost of Rs 2,300 crore. Designed by international architect firm RMJM, which has studios in Europe, Middle East, Asia and the US, the sprawling terminal integrates cutting-edge technology with unique cultural qualities.

North-facing roof lights and a central courtyard flood the interior with natural light. The large front window, shaded by the overhanging roof, is also a ventilated double wall that removes heat generated from sunlight. The roof is designed to harvest rainwater.

RMJM worked closely with landscape designers Strata to ensure a close relationship between the building and its landscape. Both landscape and architecture designs revolve around an abstract reference to the writing of Rabindranath Tagore, with symbolized scripts adorning the airport and the internal courtyards. Sikka Associates was the executive architect in this project.

The project that beat the airport to bag the best engineering marvel prize was Vedanta Aluminium Ltd 's conversion of an electro-static precipitator (ESP) to hybrid ESP.

More than 11,000 tonne of structural steel and 2 lakh tonne of concrete were used to build the terminal. Constructing and erecting the massive trusses on which the entire roof rests was a huge engineering challenge.

In the most impactful engineering marvel category, Kolkata airport was pipped by none other than the humble Indian chapati. A machine by CSIR-CFTRI that can continuously dish out fresh chapatis won the jurors' hearts.

"The airport terminal has been widely appreciated for the aesthetic, environmental and user-friendly technology. We are proud to have created a building," said airport director BP Sharma.

