Parallels in Port Programming
Project: ET2 Architecture?
Project: ET2 Architecture?
There are striking parallels between the quest for defining the typology of the airport and that of the as yet unbuilt spaceport. The airport as we know it today is a result of more than 7 decades of economic, political and technological forces asserting their influence. In the early stages, the discrepancy between the excessive costs associated with air travel and the lack of passengers willing to pay the price led the industry to find creative solutions. As early as 1908, 'air meetings' (air shows) were organized to draw on public enthusiasm for air travel; museums displayed exhibits of aircraft; and restaurants with views of the airstrip become hot spots of activity. In the1950s and 1960s (when air travel was still far from the mass-transit that it is today), new airports were built with recreational activities in mind, including features such as: observation decks, sightseeing tours, restaurants, art galleries and theaters. Airports were marketed as destinations for non-travelers. Even today, the renewed emphasis on air malls and global shopping centers is shifting the typology once again.
Air meeting near Reims, France, 1909
Terminal at Fuhlsbuttel Airport, Hamburg, 1928-29
Open-air restaurant at Halle-Leipzig Airport, 1929
Terminal at Schiphol Airport near Amsterdam, 1929
[above photos from Building for Air Travel, ed. John Zukowsky]
Similar issues can be translated into the current development of the spaceport. With the cost of travel so astronomical, and the required training intensive as it is, there is an opportunity to bridge the gap between the very few paying space tourists and the immense pool of non-traveling space enthusiasts. The training facilities necessary for space flight can potentially double as entertainment destinations, allowing the public to participate in the overall experience without ever leaving earth.
Here are some potential recreational elements that could be added to the required spaceport programming:
Air meeting near Reims, France, 1909
Terminal at Fuhlsbuttel Airport, Hamburg, 1928-29
Open-air restaurant at Halle-Leipzig Airport, 1929
Terminal at Schiphol Airport near Amsterdam, 1929
[above photos from Building for Air Travel, ed. John Zukowsky]
Similar issues can be translated into the current development of the spaceport. With the cost of travel so astronomical, and the required training intensive as it is, there is an opportunity to bridge the gap between the very few paying space tourists and the immense pool of non-traveling space enthusiasts. The training facilities necessary for space flight can potentially double as entertainment destinations, allowing the public to participate in the overall experience without ever leaving earth.
Here are some potential recreational elements that could be added to the required spaceport programming:
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