Neptunus Structures
Temporary Airport Terminals and Buildings
Neptunus are one of the world’s leading suppliers of temporary structures that can be adapted for a vast range of semi-permanent uses as well as providing facilities for major international sporting events, exhibitions, product launches and conferences for blue-chip clients and Government agencies.
Neptunus services some of the world’s top business names such as Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Canon, Vogue and MTV – as well as to high-profile events such as Hahnenkammrennen, RHS Chelsea Flower Show and Tomorrowland. Neptunus also builds structures for prominent global organisations including NATO, United Nations and Governmental Bodies.
Evolving technology means Neptunus now offers bespoke solutions to a vast variety of commercial operations requiring fast, flexible and cost-effective space options.
State-of-the-art temporary structures that look and feel like permanent buildings are today being utilised for a diverse range of semi-permanent requirements. These include supermarkets, showrooms, sports halls, theatres, offices, conference centres, warehouses and temporary airport buildings including terminals, baggage handling and even aircraft hangars.
Structures come in all shapes and sizes with the creative design team constantly developing new, dynamic and eco-friendly styles to provide space solutions for every conceivable use. Millions of pounds is invested each year in developing new products to meet the demands of an international client-base. Originally founded in Holland over 80 years ago, Neptunus remains a family-owned business with an enviable reputation for innovation, reliability and quality.
Airports are one key area where Neptunus’ technology has provided instant solutions where there is an urgent need for additional space during seasonal busy periods, or to offer alternative facilities for passengers while airports may be undergoing refurbishment or new-build programmes. Neptunus has carried out successful assignments at international airports in The Netherlands and Germany.
When Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport was under-going a long-term expansion programme, Neptunus took just four weeks to build a temporary departures building. It was then fully fitted-out within five months with all the facilities you would expect to find in a permanent building. Over two million passengers passed though the facility each year.
It took just four months to build a fully operational temporary terminal at Berlin Schönefeld Airport needed to cope with increased numbers of passengers. The facility which can accommodate up to 1,200 people includes a departure-side waiting room and is equipped with a restaurant, children’s play area and toilets. There are five departure gates, each with two pre-boarding counters, along with pre-boarding zones at each gate for 75 passengers.
The immense flexibility of Neptunus’ temporary structure technology means buildings that can be fitted out as terminal facilities can also be adapted to form baggage handling operations or even temporary aircraft hangars, or warehouses and storage areas. All structures meet the very latest health, safety and fire standards and incorporate emergency escape routes. The buildings, which are fully demountable and can be relocated after use, have air-conditioning and heating. They can be hired, purchased or leased and be erected on most sites and surfaces.
Neptunus builds temporary terminal building at Berlin Schönefeld Airport
The Assignment
Although the smaller of the German capital’s two airports, Flughafen Berlin Schönefeld serves around 13 million passengers annually and urgently required additional capacity to cope with the growing number of visitors travelling to and from the city each year.
To meet the increased demand major renovations are required to the airport’s infrastructure. However, while the building work is underway the airport operators needed a temporary solution to accommodate passengers.
They appointed Neptunus to come up with the answer as the company has vast experience in building temporary terminals at international airports including Schiphol in The Netherlands, Malta International Airport and Magdeberg-Cochstedt Airport in Germany.
The Solution
Neptunus’ technicians took just three weeks to erect the temporary terminal building utilising two of the company’s state-of-the-art temporary structures – an Evolution III, providing over 2,200 square metres of space, linked to an 189-square metre Flexolution II. Both the Evolution III and the Flexolution II were built on the existing tarmac using a cassette floor system with integrated concrete floor elements for anchoring. With the cassette floor systems, the flexible and spacious Neptunus buildings provide ideal solutions for short or long term rentals.
The complex internal fit out was then completed in just three months – providing the airport with a fully operational terminal building which opened in December. It can accommodate up to 1,200 passengers in a departure-side waiting room equipped with a restaurant, children’s play area and toilets. There are five departure gates, each with two pre-boarding counters, along with pre-boarding zones at each gate for 120 passengers.
The building meets all the latest health and safety requirements and incorporates a total of eight emergency escape routes.
Neptunus was responsible for managing the entire project. This included the installation of electricity, lighting, heating, air conditioning, toilet facilities and anti-slip floors plus air and ventilation systems. In collaboration with Siemens, an advanced fire alarm system was also been installed.
The facility will be in place for 18 months with an option for an additional six months.
The Challenge
Working within a busy international airport on an airside building project throws up lots of challenges and requires strict security measures, special permits and vetting of all personnel working on the site.
Erecting a building a long side an operational airstrip meant all materials and supplies could only be safely delivered at night. However, these are the sort of issues you expect when working in a high-security environment and the team at Neptunus has the knowledge and vast experience to overcome these challenges – delivering high quality temporary buildings on time and cost-effectively.
Due to the terrain and the requirement to be linked to the aircraft platform that is connected to the usual gates, the structures were unable to be anchored to the ground. Neptunus’ design team solved the problem by anchoring with concrete in the floors with the entire building elevated above ground. Pipes and drainage beneath the building are heated so they can function in the winter.
The Verdict
Mr. Joachim Korkhaus, Project Manager BER-flughafen, commended the skill of the Neptunus team who coordinated the project and said the airport were “very satisfied” with the execution of the scheme and the end result.
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