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Strengthening a national gateway through operational efficiency, connectivity, and an enhanced passenger experience
Value Delivered
Project Overview
In 2019, 1PAX supported Vinci Airports and Cabo Verde Airports in the successful concession process for Nelson Mandela International Airport, located in Santiago, approximately 5 km east of Praia. The mission, extended into Phase 1B planning in 2025, addressed one of the country’s most strategic airports, certified in 2017 as a category 4D facility and serving both passenger and cargo traffic at the national and international levels.
Key Challenge
The airport faced the need to improve operational performance and manage growing passenger and cargo flows while reinforcing its role as a primary gateway to the archipelago. The challenge was to enhance connectivity, rationalize landside and airside operations, and upgrade the passenger experience—without compromising flexibility or the airport’s long-term development potential.
Our Approach
1PAX contributed to the technical documentation for the concession, focusing on strategies to optimize passenger and cargo traffic management and strengthen overall connectivity. The design approach emphasized the “Open Airport” concept, promoting transparency, visual continuity, and intuitive passenger movement.
Architectural and interior strategies incorporated modern design elements and framed views to enhance the quality of the passenger journey. Landside organization was carefully structured, with public and bus parking areas, car parks, and a dedicated taxi rank all accessed via a clear, legible roundabout, simplifying circulation and improving first and last impressions of the airport.
