British architects have unveiled a concept for a unique vertiport that will provide air taxi services for residents and visitors in Dubai, UAE.
A vertiport is a new term in the transportation industry. It refers to airports designed for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
The terminal will feature a sweeping, overhanging roof. The project’s designers say the roof will shield passengers from the scorching Dubai sun.
A Revolution in Transportation Infrastructure
This vertiport is the first of its kind in Dubai, initiated by Skyports Infrastructure, a company specializing in advanced air mobility (AAM) technologies. Together with the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority, the company plans to develop an entire network of vertiports for air taxi services by 2026.
Plans are already in place for the first four terminals. They are intended to meet demand for rapid flights across the city using electric air taxis. This zero-emission transport will whisk passengers at high speeds to their desired locations, including popular tourist attractions.
The first vertiport will be located near Dubai International Airport, a metro station, and other transport hubs, Dezeen reported. David Summerfield, head of Foster + Partners, said the new facility will be seamlessly integrated into the city’s transportation system and will change the way people move around Dubai.
What Will the Air Taxi Terminal Look Like?
The British architectural studio shared a visualization of the vertiport project online. The futuristic terminal will sit on a large rectangular platform. Through its transparent panoramic walls, passengers will be able to enjoy views of the airfield and Dubai’s landscapes.
Designers chose muted warm colors and natural materials for the interior. The architects said the decor aims to create a “comfortable and carefree environment.”
The terminal’s perimeter will be planted with lush greenery.
This design is currently considered the closest to realization. But Foster + Partners is not the only firm rethinking urban transportation infrastructure. In 2020, the German air taxi company Lilium released a guide for designing modular aircraft that could land on the rooftops of office buildings, parking lots, or shopping centers.
Dutch architectural firm MVRDV is also designing vertiports. The firm is collaborating with aerospace company Airbus to explore how landing hubs for passenger drones or helicopters could be adapted to future urban transport networks.
