London based Foster + Partners has now announced that this globally renowned and cherished architectural firm will now be designing and developing one of the most environmentally friendly airports in the world, in the form of all the all new Kuwait International Airport. Designed to be considered as a marvel of architecture and inspire awe in all who witness the airport from the air or the land, this incredible project calls for the construction of a terminal that is both traveler as well as eco-friendly. Furthermore, Foster + Partners also envision that when this one of a kind international airport is operational, it just might prove to benchmark for all such establishments across the globe to learn from. One of the most remarkable features of the new Kuwait International Airport will be its ability to be naturally cooled by employing eco-friendly construction techniques and this lead to significantly lesser power consumption levels. Kuwait is known to be one of the hottest places on the planet, with an average temperature of 90 degrees.
The natural cooling effect will be achieved by employing the principles of thermal mass, where in the structure will be composed of concrete pillars that will act as essential tools for cooling the interiors. Furthermore, the flowing canopy design of the terminal’s roof will provide ample natural light and the roof will also be carrying an array of photovoltaic solar panels that will harvest solar energy. The roof will designed in a manner that it will allow only ambient natural light to be filtered in and not solar radiation or heat. The entire airport will be segregated into three separate wings and all three areas will converge at a single 82-foot-high central dome. This behemoth of a hub for air transportation is expected to accommodate 13 million passengers a year and will be designed to further expand the capacity to 50 million passengers.
Via Inhabitat
