Winners of the Fentress Global Challenge: Airport of the Future

Global design firm Fentress Architects recently announced the winning designs for the 2011 Fentress Global Challenge, an international competition launched last fall for architecture and engineering students to present their visions for the Airport of the Future. Expert jury members narrowed the 200 submittals to 16 finalists, and then to the top three with two honorable mentions. Designs were evaluated on creative approach, response to site, sustainability, and functionality.

GRAND PRIZE WINNER: LDN Delta Airport
Student: Oliver Andrew, London South Bank University, London

Project Description: "The LDN Delta Airport is designed as prefabricated, mass-produced islands situated in the Thames Estuary, upstream from London. The airport would ease the overcrowding of the surrounding airports as there are no cars, runways, nor check-in desks, but is served solely via public transportation. Flight information is connected through passengers’ cell phones, providing the departure time and assigned gate. The airport supports vertical takeoff with hypersonic jets capable of flying at the edge of space, lifting off from purpose-built landing pads and uses the tidal currents to run on total sustainable power."

2nd Place: The Airport of the Future
Student: Martin Sztyk, University College London, London

Project Description: "In the Airport of the Future, algae farms produce biofuel for aircrafts and the airport facility, which can be processed by neighboring oil refineries."

3rd Place: Pocket Airports
Student: Alexander Nevarez, Art Center College of Design, United States

Project Description:"Pocket airports created a new aircraft, integrating quiet electric propulsion, supersonic speeds, and vertical takeoff/landing capability."

Honorable Mention: Aero-Loop
Student: Thor Yi Chun, University of Science of Malaysia

Honorable Mention: New Arcticity
Student: Daniel Kang, National Taiwan University of Science

The competition jury included G. Hardy Acree, Airport Director, Sacramento International Airport; Marvin Malecha, FAIA, Dean of the College of Design, North Carolina State University; Helen Norman, Editor, Passenger Terminal World; Tibbie Dunbar, Executive Director, Architecture + Design Museum; James P. Cramer, Hon AIA, Hon IIDA, Cofounder & Chairman, Design Futures Council; and Curtis Fentress, FAIA, RIBA, Principal-in-Charge of Design, Fentress Architects.

The designer of the winning entry, Oliver Andrew, will be awarded the top prize valued at $10,000, including $3,000 cash and a paid internship at Fentress Architects this summer. The runner-up and third place winner will receive cash awards of $1,000 and $500 respectively.

The top 16 finalist designs will also gain international exposure in the traveling exhibition Now Boarding: Fentress Airports + The Architecture of Flight, which provides a multi-media journey through the past, present and future of airport design. The exhibit debuts on July 15, 2012 at the Denver Art Museum.