By Minerva Newman and PNA
CEBU CITY – The Terminal-2 of Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) won in the Completed Buildings: Transport category at the 2019 World Architecture Festival held in Amsterdam from December 4 to 6.
Mactan Cebu International Airport Terminal 2 (PNA)
The award was received by Winston Shu of Integrated Design Associates (IDA) Ltd. Hongkong, the principal architect of the MCIA-T2 in collaboration with Budji+Royal and Kenneth Cobonpue and is a project of Megawide Corp. and India's GMR Group.
Other airport nominees were Singapore's Jewel Changi Airport and Turkey's Istanbul Airport.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Friday lauded the team behind the Mactan Cebu International Airport Terminal 2 for winning the top prize.
"This is a simple and elegant new airport that uses many locally-sourced materials. It is integrated into the local area through the development of a local hub and a landscape plan," a note from one of the judges posted at the World Architecture Festival website read.
The airport's internal spaces was also described as "light and uncluttered and the design is capable of future extension. It is clearly popular with the local community and this established a memorable travels experiences."
"With Mactan being the second busiest international airport in the Philippines, this architecturally astounding building serves as an important gateway to the Philippines," the DOT said in a statement.
The agency agreed that among its strengths is its "simple elegance, its innovative use of both foreign and locally-sourced materials, and its oneness with its surroundings".
"The building’s roof is meant to represent the ocean, while its expansive and exposed internal structure reminds one of the hull of a boat; its brightness and openness of space, deeply symbolic of the Filipinos’ welcoming nature," it added.
"The World Architecture Festival Award recognizes the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Terminal 2 as an iconic and symbolic architectural structure, which all Cebuanos and all Filipinos can be proud of and we are proud to share this international recognition with the Filipino people," Harrison said.
The WAF is an annual festival and awards ceremony dedicated to the architecture and development industry.
The festival has over 148 judges representing more than 68 countries. (With a report from Patrick Garcia)