Source: Foster + Partners
The Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK)or “central communication port”, is the ambitious infrastructure mega-project of the future most modern airport in Europe under construction in Poland, designed to transform the country into a international transport hub that intact plane, railway and road. The goal is to create an access door to Poland and central Europe, managing a significantly greater volume of passengers than existing airports.
Features of the most modern airport in Europe in Poland
Let’s see, more in detail, the description of the CPK airport project, starting immediately from numbers and dates. The airport is designed to get to serve well 40 million passengers per year, and long -term expansion plans (by 2060) aspire to serve 100 million passengers per year. CPK airport, for numbers and figures, is certainly larger than the current Chopin airport of Warsaw, which currently serves about 18-20 million of passengers a year.
We said, at the opening, that the CPK airport project consists in the integration, within the airport infrastructure, of a large railway infrastructure. The project, in fact, provides for the construction of 2000 km of railways that will converge to the CPK, connecting the main Polish cities (such as Warsaw, łódź, Poznań, Breslavia) and extending internationally (for example, a high -speed line will be planned towards Frankfurt on the Oder, Germany, which will shorten the travel time between Berlin and the CPK A Less than 3.5 hours).
An imported element of the new CPK airport will be the “Airport City”a commercial and innovative district integrated with the airport, which will include Offices, research and development complexes, hotels and conference centers. The architectural and engineering design of the airport bears the signature of the London studio Norman Foster + Partnersin collaboration with Buro happold. The project aims to balance operational efficiency, environmental responsibility and symbolic expression, with large green spaces and natural light.
The CPK is strategically located at approx 37 km west of Warsawbetween the Polish capital and the city of łódź, in the area of three municipalities: Baranów, Teresin and Wiskitki, in the Voivodato della Masovia. This central position aims to maximize accessibility from different directions and to position Poland as a nerve point for transport in central and eastern Europe.
The ambitious project of the new CPK airport was initially approved by the Polish government in 2017 The construction of the new airport should start since 2026. To date, most of the land necessary for construction sites has already been acquired (approximately 2,585 hectares). The airport should open no before 2032in conjunction with the launch of the first section of the Warsaw-Cpk-Sirled high-speed railway line.
The strengths of the project of the new CPK airport
From an architectural and engineering point of view, it is interesting to analyze the “strengths”, that is, the positive aspects of the new project of the CPK airport. First of all, what it is necessary to say, is how this project aims to increase connectivity between infrastructureswith a strategic integration between airport, railway and road infrastructure. This will guarantee one greater fluidity in transport and transit goods and people.
Consequently, therefore, the CPK airport will allow Poland to position itself among the main logistical and commercial actors in Europe. There will therefore be a significant increase in terms of modernity of the entire infrastructure system of Poland.
The critical points of the airport project in Poland
Like any mega project, the Polish Airport CPK also has some critical issues, which it is necessary to enuclear in order to evaluate, in the most objective way possible, the project. A first critical point, perhaps the most important, is represented by costs. The estimated cost for the plane aerial and railway elements is approximately 131 billion of Polish Złoty (PLN)equivalent to about 30.4 billion euros. The project is one of the larger infrastructure investments in Europe.
Although most of the funds will derive from loans that the Polish government will ask local and foreign banks and private investors, the ability to know how to attract these long -term investors is crucial. Political instability does not always help. The airport and the railway network must also generate sufficient income to cover operating costs and repay the investment. This depends a lot from passenger and goods traffic forecastswhich must be realistic and not overestimated.
Another element to consider is that relating toenvironmental impact. Although designed with a view to sustainability, like any mega project, CPK airport will also lead to a certain influence on the surrounding environment and this will be carefully evaluated.
