Wooden construction is increasingly popular lately, and in the wake of innovative timber projects including towers, sports halls, and supertall skyscrapers, comes this recently-completed Philippine airport terminal. Primarily constructed from wood, it features a striking design inspired by rolling ocean waves and a stunning interior that highlights the beauty of the material.
The new Mactan Cebu International Terminal 2 is located in Lapu-Lapu City and is part of an ongoing development push in the area by the Philippine government.
Like Oslo Airport, the project makes use of glulam (glue-laminated timber). Put very simply, glulam consists of fine layers of wood stuck together with adhesives, lending it a greater strength than a single piece of wood could provide.
Inside, the arched skeleton of the structure has been left exposed. The large space is meant to evoke the hull of a boat and really does look impressive.
The airport's check-in counters are a little lower than standard, which is supposed to promote a more personal interaction between staff and passengers, while the counters themselves are decorated a fiber-synthetic mesh weaving, illuminated with LED lighting, that reflects the Philippines' weaving tradition.
Other decorative touches include terrazzo floors inlaid with iridescent mother-of-pearl, which is abundant in the Philippines, while the bathrooms are enlivened with large moss feature walls made from natural lichen, which are supposed to decrease humidity and improve air quality. Finally, the airport has a floating wooden ceiling over the duty free area.
The Mactan Cebu International Terminal 2 project took three years to construct and cost US$327 million. It involved industrial designer Kenneth Cobonpue, interior designer Budji Layug, architect Royal Pineda, and Hong Kong-based Integrated Design Associates.
Source: Kenneth Cobonpue
