[MOC] Copenhagen Airport - Pier E

[Esben Kolind]

Background

Copenhagen Airport is currently constructing a new Pier E connecting Pier D with the low-cost Pier F, replacing the existing, narrow covered walkway. The first phase of the building is planned to open in 2019 with 22.000 m² floor space including seven new gates at a price of 850 mill. DKK (115 mill. Euro). The ground level contains bus gates while level 1 has pier serviced gates and border control facilities. Level 2 contains flow corridors for arriving and transferring passengers.

 

Working in the operational analysis department in the airport, I have been involved in the project since the early design stages in 2014. When the early concepts for the pier were sketched, I suggested building a LEGO scale model of the pier instead of at traditional styrofoam or cardboard architectural model. This would enable us to show the interior layout and various passenger flows and would create more attention and awareness of the project internally in the organization.

 

Early prototypes

To illustrate the idea, I initially built a short section of the pier in the scale 1 stud = 2 m where the different levels and the roof could be removed. At this scale, it was not possible to build interior such as staircases, chairs and desks.

The next prototype was built in the scale 1 stud = 1 m and I experimented with different colors for the floors as well as color coded passenger flows (blue and yellow lines on the picture below). Based on this second prototype, it was decided to go ahead and build a LEGO model of the full pier.

 

Design

The model was designed based on available drawings using pen and checkered paper. For the two bends in the building, I experimented with various wedge plates before arriving at angles very close to the actual bends.

As no details on the design and colors of the facades and roof were available, the exterior of the LEGO model was designed using simple white bricks and glass. Brown was chosen to imitate a wooden floor, however, the idea of indicating passenger flows with colored lines in the floor was abandoned as it would ruin the overall visual appeal of the model. In contrast to the white building, the busses serving the pier were designed using the actual yellow color of the busses currently operating in the airport.

At the selected scale, the seating (using simple panels) appears a little too deep (1 meter) and the columns are too wide (1 meter). These are the main design compromises I had to make at this scale.

The planned with of the pier is 40 meters (40 studs) so the model was built on 48 x 48 studs baseplates. Surrounding apron and roads was built on 32 x 32 studs baseplates. The roof, level 2 flow corridors and the entire level 1 can be removed to access the interior of the ground floor.

The model was built in May 2015. A work in progress photo is seen below.

Presentation

The model was presented to the top management of Copenhagen Airport in an information workshop on the project before the final decision to initiate the project. Since then, the model has been on display in the airport headquarters.

Pictures

All pictures can be found in this Flickr album:

 

The detailed plans to build a new Pier E were revealed to the public in early 2017 and the construction commenced shortly after. Apart from the detailing of the facade, only minor changes to internal flow corridors have been made since the construction of the LEGO model. An additional level 3 for technical installations has also been added. Pictures below show the contruction site and visualizations.

Read about the project: http://www.passengerterminaltoday.com/viewnews.php?NewsID=83385

 

 

I look forward to hear all comments on this model that I have been waiting for a long time to present publicly.

 

Esben

 

 

 

 

Edited October 4, 2017 by Esben Kolind
Added [MOC] to title

[Uoit32]

Oh, wow, I mean, just wow.

Being a professional architect and working in an office, I always wonder how it would be to present a work like you did.

I tried last summer for a new complex but my boss reject the idea, too scared when I explain the search and buying for the rights bricks, choice of different techniques, time to wait for pieces,  so went the no-lego way. I've should prepare some prototypes to begin with.

Your result it's amazing, and a lesson.

thank you.

[Cian]

That walkway out to Go is grim; this looks like rather an improvement!

[peedeejay]

Beautiful work. Awesome presentation!

[lightningtiger]

Impressive very impressive indeed.

Brick On 'Esben Kolin' !

[Kodan Black]

Really incredible work and I love how it turned out! Can you explain a bit more about how it came about? Did you propose it and they agreed? Did you do this on your own? Are they going to display it in the terminal when it is done?

[Esben Kolind]

On ‎04‎-‎10‎-‎2017 at 6:51 PM, Uoit32 said:

I've should prepare some prototypes to begin with.

Your result it's amazing, and a lesson.

Thank you. Yes, I think making a prototype of a facade or cross section really helps to showcase the idea and also decide on colors, techniques etc. LEGO is such an obvious material for architectural models... and they can easily be changed.

On ‎04‎-‎10‎-‎2017 at 9:15 PM, Cian said:

That walkway out to Go is grim; this looks like rather an improvement!

While we build Pier E, we have built another interim, grim walkway to Go :-) It can be seen on the aerial photo.

15 hours ago, Kodan Black said:

Really incredible work and I love how it turned out! Can you explain a bit more about how it came about? Did you propose it and they agreed? Did you do this on your own? Are they going to display it in the terminal when it is done?

Thanks. I proposed the idea, built the prototypes and the project manager accepted. I built it on my own over the course of a month when I was on paternity leave (maximum two hours per day when the little one had her long nap). I hope the model will eventually be displayed in the new pier as part of the communication campaign.