Latest Boards, 30 Nov 2010
In 1903, the Wright Brothers invented the engine powered airplane called Wright Flyer 1. The invention of the airplane called for a new building type, which emerged as a link between flying and the existing infrastructural systems. Many cities worldwide have not found a successful way to integrate this system within the existing infrastructure.
As of now, the current airport typology creates several problems within the urban fabric. A common trend is to build airports in the suburbs due to the large amount of land needed to operate aircraft. This in turn, disconnects these major hubs from the cities they serve. Flight patterns in and out of these hubs ultimately limit the building heights within the surrounding area.
A solution to the current problems created by airports is to integrate the typology into the city center. SkyPort, a vertical airport design located above the city would reconnect the transportation hub while also minimizing the building footprint. Elevated flight patterns would not limit building height due to the verticality of the design. A byproduct of SkyPort is the opportunity to bring rural setting into a dense urban environment. This will help improve the congested atmosphere of airports. Cities around the world can adopt SkyPort, a vertical solution to the broken airport typology.
