Clark airport garners global acclaim as one of the world’s most beautiful

CLARK FREEPORT, Philippines – The Clark International Airport (CRK) has been officially listed as one of the world’s most beautiful airports by the Prix Versailles.

CRK is among the top six in the world in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Architecture and Design Awards under the airport category for its architectural design. It is one of two in Southeast Asia that made it to the list of 24 airports around the world.

Luzon International Premiere Airport Development (LIPAD) Corporation said that, although the announcement was released in 2021, Prix Versailles had just updated its website, which now features a complete list of the official laureates.

“The current announcement focuses more on the fact of CRK’s inclusion on the list as a finalist in 2021,” LIPAD said on Thursday, November 9.

CRK was designed by Populous and Casas+Architects and constructed by Megawide Construction Corporation and GMR Infrastructure, which was completed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic g;obal emergency.

Spanning 110,000 square meters with four floors and 18 bridges, CRK can cater to eight million passengers annually.

The recognition, granted by the Prix Versailles, “highlights the primary role of the laureates in beautifying and improving the living environment,” according to the Prix Versailles website.

The 23 other airports in the list include:

• Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in Chile
• Beijing Daxing International Airport in China
• Berlin Brandenburg Airport in Germany
• Chengdu Tianfu International Airport in China
• Eagle County Regional Airport in the United States
• Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport in Greece
• General Abelardo L. Rodríguez International Airport in Mexico
• Helsinki-Vantaa Airport in Finland
• Kempegowda International Airport in India
• LaGuardia Airport in the United States
• Los Angeles International Airport in the United States
• Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in the United States
• Manchester Airport in the United Kingdom
• Mohammed V. International Airport in Morocco
• New Plymouth Airport in New Zealand
• Newark Liberty International Airport in the United States
• Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport in China
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in the United States
• Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport in China
• Split Airport in Croatia
• Thessaloniki Macedonia International Airport in Greece
• Turkistan International Airport in Turkistan
• Van Don International Airport in Vietnam

Prix Versailles is a series of architectural competitions that highlights the finest contemporary projects worldwide. It stands as a global accolade in architecture and design, acknowledging exceptional accomplishments within the realm of commercial architecture. 

The award is bestowed upon projects that exemplify innovation and aesthetic excellence across diverse categories, encompassing establishments like shops, shopping centers, hotels, and restaurants. 

Winners of the Prix Versailles, referred to as laureates, emerge triumphant in various award categories. The selection of laureates is meticulously carried out, evaluating criteria such as harmony, balance, and the seamless integration of each project within its cultural context. – Rappler.com