From Zagreb with love

Donetsk, Ukraine

The multi million Euro state of the art airport terminal which was supposed to be built in Zagreb stretching on 70.000 hectors of land with a capacity of handling 5 million passengers annually with 12 air bridges will now be built in Ukraine instead. In May this year the Croatian government disappointed many aviation enthusiasts by announcing that the Zagreb Airport terminal project has been cancelled due to the global financial crisis, despite the fact that many governments are investing in infrastructure projects as a way of beating the credit crunch. The project, which would have cost a total of 285.9 million Euros, was supposed to make Zagreb Airport a regional leader. The ideal look of the new terminal was chosen last year and designed IGH. The entire project will see a minor modification and will be built in the city of Donetsk in Ukraine. The airport project is expected to be completed by 2012, when Ukraine will co-host the European Football Championships. The new airport will be named after the well known composer Sergei Prokofiev. The project's architects are Branko Kincl, Velimir Neidhardt, and Jure Radić, and it will be financed by the Donetsk District government and local steel investors.

Donetsk is similar to Zagreb in size. Zagreb’s airport project has been put on hold until further notice with the airport’s current terminal capacity too small for the incoming volume of passengers. The IGH designed terminal has been nominated for an award at the upcoming World Architecture Festival to be held in Barcelona, Spain in November. Meanwhile, Tonči Peović, the current director of Dubrovnik Airport is expected to be named the new CEO of Zagreb Airport on September 15.