“Riga International Airport has already exceeded its capacity, and a new terminal is urgently needed. Preparations for further development of the new terminal are currently underway. We also hope for more active involvement on the part of Riga International Airport in the terminal development. To many visitors, the terminal will also be the new face of Latvia, and we have invited architects to come up with innovative and unique ideas.”

Bertolt Flick, President and CEO of airBaltic

The purpose of this international contest is to invite architects to create an innovative architectural and functional concept for the new terminal. The winning first stage design/concept would be used in a subsequent second stage with a view towards eventual delivery of the terminal complex. Architects are invited to create their concepts for a terminal with capacity of around 7-8 million annual passengers (14 million eventually) on a designated vacant site at Riga airport.

A jury of internationally recognized professionals, local dignitaries and airBaltic management will assess the submitted architectural design concepts at the end of September and award a cash prize of €100,000 to the selected winner.

The competition is being managed on behalf of airBaltic by Ove Arup and Partners, one of the world’s largest engineering firms, from their offices in London. Architects are invited to register their interest before Monday, 16th August 2010 by sending their name (or company name) and full contact details to airbalticcompetition@arup.com The architectural design concepts or ideas will be accepted for this contest until September 20, and the jury will assess them by the end of September.