Here’s What the Future of Airports Might Look Like
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Air travel is constantly changing, and airports are always adapting. From accommodating more and more airplane traffic to opening lounges and adding Wi-Fi and more and more amenities, airports are rushing to accommodate passengers’ needs with more outlets, more eco-friendly options, and friendlier public spaces. Or so do the best ones among them, like Singapore’s Changi, while others are struggling to keep up (looking at you, La Guardia, although things are changing for the better there.)
To find out where all of this progress may lead, Fentress Architects challenged architecture students to imagine what the future of airports might look like, receiving submissions from more than 500 students in 50 countries. Their visions are pretty stunning, and they were judged by a panel of experts that included TPG contributor Christine Negroni.
The winning design came from Daoru Wang at North Carolina State University. He called his design “Infinity Airport,” referencing its two overlapping figure-eight concourses. Regardless of how practical you think it may be, the elevated terminals and big windows would make for some great planespotting.
Although the designs differ in many ways, a few things are consistent across the board. The future of airports, it seems, will be efficient in terms of the environment and the passenger experience. Contestants emphasized accessibility by car and rail so their proposed airports can best serve their respective communities. Some designs even featured on-site housing, referencing a principle they call “the aerotropolis” — a concept putting the airport at the center of an integrated metropolis, rather than as an isolated entity.
That’s the principle at thh heart of the design that took second place, by Samantha Pires at the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, New Jersey. With a big airport right in her city, she reimagined what Newark would look like according to those principles. We can all agree that her design looks a lot better than EWR does today.
Third place went to a stunning idea for a new, city-like version of Heathrow, London’s and Europe’s biggest airport, by Christopher Johnson from the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham, UK. Trees are an especially striking element of his design.
Check out the finalists on the Fentress Architects website.
Featured photo of Samantha Pires’ second place design courtesy of Fentress Architects.
WELCOME OFFER: 60,000 Points
TPG'S BONUS VALUATION*: $1,200
CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 2X points on all travel and dining, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners
*Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by TPG and not the card issuer. View our latest valuations here.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel
- Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on orders over $12 for a minimum of one year on qualifying food purchases with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
- Earn 5X points on Lyft rides through March 2022. That’s 3X points in addition to the 2X points you already earn on travel.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.