AIA LIFE DESIGNERS, MARTINIQUE AIMÉ CÉSAIRE AIRPORT
Aimé Césaire Airport is the main aerial gateway to the island of Martinique and enjoys a prime location just 9 km from Fort-de-France, the capital, and close to the highly popular Route des Plages. After six years of work, a budget of over 120 million euros and a 20,000-square-meter extension, the new terminal is a notable expansion and renovation of the old facility
It is intended to
embody the island’s identity, values, and promises. The new terminal tells the
story of Martinique through an allegory of Mount Pelée. A lava-coloured
stretched membrane unfolds like an Ariadne’s thread through the airport’s
principal spaces. Spherical in form, it bursts forth at the eastern end of the
new terminal roof. The presence of the island’s lush vegetation is evoked
through the interplay of light and shadow created by sunshades and by the
screen-printed façades opening onto the surrounding landscape.
The new terminal results from the extension and restructuring of the existing building. The passenger journey has been completely reorganized. A new security screening checkpoint has been created within the extension, in a large space perfectly suited to the latest screening equipment. It is located at the interface between the public hall and the extended departure lounge, which has been redesigned to accommodate a commercial area centred on the island’s identity and dedicated to passenger well-being. Throughout both departure and arrival flows, the passenger journey is smooth and comfortable, providing users with a high-quality experience.
The various extensions dedicated to passenger boarding and disembarkation (regional pier, jetty) and to the processes of the new baggage handling system (TBO building) ensure optimal operation of the facilities, with technical processes discreetly giving way to the passenger experience. The environmental strategy is expressed through a focus on energy efficiency, relying on a high-performance building envelope, particularly façades that provide very effective protection against solar heat gains. The regional pier is certified HQE (High Environmental Quality).
Client: SAMAC (Société par actions de l’aéroport Martinique Aimé Césaire); Mandatory: AIA Ingénierie; Architect :AIA Life Designers; Engineering: AIA Ingénierie; Environmental expertise: AIA Environnement; OPC: CRX Management; Fluides-maintenance: Idex Energie Antilles Guyane; Local Engineering: CETE Ingénierie; Conseil STB (phase APS) ADET. Copyright photos : © AIA Life Designers Architecture_Adagp 2026 - photo : Sergio Grazia ; Copyright perspective : © AIA Life Designers Architecture_Adagp 2026
