The Cape Winelands Airport project has appointed Boogertman + Partners as the lead architects overseeing the architectural vision and design integration of the multibillion-rand development.

Boogertman + Partners will collaborate with amd.sigma, an airport development company based in Berlin, Germany, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Munich Airport International.

The vision for the Cape Winelands Airport development is to establish an airport precinct designed to support economic growth, attract new investment and enhance regional connectivity.

The Cape Town-based project represents an expected initial investment of between R8-billion and R10-billion to develop the terminal buildings, runway and a 450 ha estate around the airport.

“Boogertman + Partners’ track record of award-winning, contextually responsive architecture, and their ability to connect infrastructure with human experience, makes them the ideal partner in a landmark project of the scale of the Cape Winelands Airport,” says RSA Aero MD Nicholas Ferguson.

RSA Aero is the owner and operator of Cape Winelands Airport.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to design Cape Winelands Airport, which will establish a new gateway to the Cape Winelands region, adding a vital world-class facility that will set new standards for design innovation in the country and on the continent,” notes Boogertman + Partners director André Wright.

“Our mission, as always, is to deliver world-class, human-centred design solutions that are contextually grounded, socially impactful and environmentally responsible.”

According to the Boogertman + Partners and amd.sigma, the architectural vision for the airport complex is that the development should blend harmoniously with the natural topography and agricultural tapestry of the winelands and Swartland region.

The airport terminal is envisioned as a “striking, undulating, sculptural glass and steel form that appears to rise organically from the ground” – an abstracted interpretation of the terrain that blurs the boundary between landscape and built structure.

The design of Cape Winelands Airport will also target a number of environmental ratings and certifications.

The layout of the development is designed to support phased expansion, as the urban design constitutes a flexible framework that can evolve with local conditions, stakeholder input and future mobility trends.

The appointment of Boogertman + Partners marks the next milestone for the airport project following the announcement of partnerships with developer Growthpoint Properties and WBHO Construction at the end of last year.

Cape Winelands Airport, formerly Fisantekraal Airfield, is a privately led airport development located 13 km north-east of Durbanville.

It was established in 1943 as a South African Air Force base for Lockheed Ventura bombers.