The sustained growth of air traffic in Uruguay, particularly at the Montevideo and Punta del Este hubs, has been accompanied by a profound transformation in the infrastructure that supports passenger mobility. Alongside the expansion of international flights, there has been a shift in usage patterns: more specialized services, greater demand for operational efficiency, and an increasing relevance of private and general aviation flights linked to high-end tourism.

Within this context, the General Aviation Terminal of Punta del Este (TAG) emerges as a project driven by a clear rationale: to separate, specialize, and strengthen a program with its own specific requirements, without interfering with the operation of the commercial airport. The decision to develop an independent terminal—an airport within the airport—made it possible to deliver a precise architectural response to a complex, highly regulated, and constantly evolving system.

From the outset, the challenge was not only programmatic but also temporal. The first phase of the project, developed in 2019, had to be designed and built within an extremely tight schedule, with a construction window aligned with the airport’s low season and a fixed opening date prior to the start of the summer season.

This condition proved decisive in the architectural decisions: a lightweight steel structure, designed for rapid assembly, combined with concrete volumes that concentrate services and organize the internal operations.

The architecture is conceived as a contemporary pavilion, restrained in its expression, capable of integrating with the existing complex without competing with it. A large white roof defines the main space and ensures flexibility, while the concrete cores house the building’s support and operational programs: restrooms, staff support areas, and technical and control rooms.

The material palette is complemented by the incorporation of wood in strategic areas, introducing warmth and a more human experience within a highly regulated environment.

The layout follows the operational logic of airport infrastructure: a clear sequence between the public area (landside), the control zone, and the restricted area (airside), where private lounges, the duty-free shop, and exclusive spaces for general aviation operators and passengers are located.

This organization not only complies with regulatory requirements but also allows the building to function as an open, adaptable infrastructure, prepared for future expansion.

That foresight proved essential. In 2024, just five years after its inauguration, the terminal underwent a significant expansion. Rather than requiring demolition or a complete redesign, the growth occurred through addition: the original structure had been conceived to accommodate new phases without losing coherence or disrupting airport operations.

Once again, time was a critical factor, and the construction logic defined from the outset made it possible to respond swiftly to a demand that had already been anticipated in the original project.

One of the project’s most distinctive contributions is its relationship with the exterior. In a building typology where contact with the runways is traditionally limited, the TAG incorporates a terrace within the restricted area, allowing users to experience the natural landscape and the movement of aircraft as part of the journey. This gesture transforms waiting into an active moment and reinforces the exclusive character of the program, while introducing a new way of inhabiting airport infrastructure in Uruguay.

Beyond the building itself, the General Aviation Terminal of Punta del Este synthesizes a particular approach to infrastructure projects: reading the context, understanding the systems that shape them, and translating those variables into clear, flexible, and efficient architecture. A project where design does not override function, but rather enhances it—supporting the real growth of the activity and anticipating its future transformations.

Fiorella Cobas, Architect
Project Manager – Executive Project Development

Infrastructural Architecture
Design – Executive Project – Construction Supervision