User:Lemonzade/sandbox

West Terminal 2
A new passenger terminal was completed in Helsinki's West Harbour in February 2017, at the southern tip of Jätkäsaari between the new docks LJ8 and LJ7 in the port expansion area. The new terminal will provide better conditions for the fast ferry traffic between Helsinki and Tallinn, ensuring that the growing volume of traffic on this route will operate more smoothly, more comfortably and faster.

The terminal was designed specifically to enable faster embarkation and disembarkation. Passengers’ walking distances are minimised, enabling the rapid transfer of large numbers of passengers to and from the ships.

The terminal building is functionally divided into two main parts. Vehicle traffic is at ground level, where the area around the glass entrance is as compact as possible. This leaves the main part of the pier to the vehicles queuing to board the ferries. The entrance is designed for rapid pass-through and also provides vertical connections. The actual waiting lounge is located 10 m above ground level, between the berths, so that there is only a short distance to walk to the ships on either side. The waiting hall is a spacious, lounge-like space with wooden beamed ceilings, a wide glazed wall providing uninterrupted sea views, and seaside terraces.

The terminal complex also includes passenger boarding corridors and bridges that connect the terminal to the ships. These structures are cold (unheated) spaces. The entrance square will be part of the Tyynenmerenkatu (Pacific Street) area. Next to the main entrance, a large canopy of a steel and glass shelters the taxi station. The main façade materials are glass, massive sea aluminium and concrete.