Nelson Airport Terminal

Studio Pacific has designed an award-winning new terminal for the airport that will meet the requirements of the airport’s anticipated growth.

The new terminal enhances the gateway experience of locals and visitors to the Nelson Tasman region and offer more space for seating, retail, lounges and toilets, along with larger areas for check-in and baggage handling.

Visually, the building is particularly evocative and reflects the region through its compelling use of locally sourced timber structural elements. These have been crafted together to provide an unusual innovative roof structure that refers to the surrounding mountains and is an efficient combination of folded plates and beams at the same time. The building has structural resilience to enhance long term durability, supports sustainability through its use of local timber and is generally naturally ventilated as part of an energy saving strategy.

Construction of the new terminal commenced in May 2017. Stage 1 of the terminal was completed in late 2018, and Stage 2 was completed in 2019.

Designed for the Environment

Nelson Airport not only meets the needs of the region's growing air traffic but also exemplifies sustainable building practices.

Sustainable features include:

• The terminal's mass timber use enhances both aesthetics and building resilience, ensuring long-term durability.
• Designed with natural ventilation, reducing reliance on energy-intensive air conditioning systems, thus reducing operational carbon.
• The terminal integrates locally sourced materials, reducing embodied carbon through shorter material transport distances.
• The 610m3 of radiata pine in the buildings structure is estimated to be storing more than 600 tonnes of carbon – equivalent to 37,497 kilometres travelled by a full ATR 72 airplane.
• The project exemplifies architectural excellence with a commitment to environmental stewardship, setting a high standard for future developments in the Nelson Tasman region.