Another superb airport designed by Foster + Partners in Amman, Jordan has just opened. The Queen Alia International Airport will propel Amman in to the international airport super league with capacity to grow at 6% for the next 25 years.
We are told that the airport has a highly effective passive design whose forms are inspired by local traditions and Islamic art. The main architectural features are a series of shallow concrete domes that help to mitigate against the fierce middle eastern sun. The black flowing fabric of Bedouin tents was also the inspiration for the canopy that looks like it will impart a fluid feel to the internal spaces. By attempting to root the design of the building firmly within local as well as wider Islamic cultural traditions, it is hoped the airport will become a source of national pride as well as an international hub.
