La Reunion Roland-Garros Airport

The world's first bioclimatic terminal of its size in the tropics. Designed by AIA Life Designers, the project is based on the principle of natural ventilation using the trade winds specific to La Réunion. The result = architecture shaped by a low-pressure canyon, with a spectacular timber structure and lush natural vegetation.

The project has benefited from the support of the European Union, Société Aeroportuaire ARRG developed exemplary new facilities in the context of climate change, with a target of limiting the final energy consumption of future facilities to 135 kWh per m2 per year.

To achieve this feat, the airport drew on the expertise of AlA Life Designers, a multi-disciplinary architectural practice that had to meet a number of challenges. The first of these was to do without air conditioning in a tropical environment. To achieve this, the experts at AlA Engineering relied on trade wind to naturally ventilate the entire extension. In concrete terms, a vast depression canyon was installed in the central part, allowing the baggage delivery hall to be largely traversed by the winds. The result: high hygrothermal comfort for users - with a perceived temperature 4℃ lower-, and energy savings of around 60%, compared with an equivalent building that would be air-conditioned to the same comfort level.

The AlA Life Designers teams have also focused their efforts on adapting to climate change and respecting biodiversity. Cyclonic winds were studied and their mechanisms reproduced and tested in the CSTB wind tunnel. The aim was to increase the overall safety of the extension beyond that required by regulations, in a context of increasing exceptional climatic phenomena, by oversizing certain parts and fastenings. During the construction phase, noise pollution and the use of lighting were also adapted to minimize impact on the environment and biodiversity. Last but not least, AlA's experts carried out an extensive renaturation program to restore the natural areas surrounding the airport.

The project was awarded the French National Engineering Award 2023, the highest honor in the engineering sector in France, and the BATIMAT 2024 “Resilient Building Award - Innovation Award”.