Aecom and Pininfarina win design competition for the air-traffic control tower at Istanbul鈥檚 new airport in Turkey

Air traffic control tower New Istanbul Airport

Aecom, in collaboration with Italian car designer Pininfarina, has won the design competition for the air-traffic control tower at Istanbul New Airport in Turkey.

The tower will be visible to all passengers travelling in and out of Istanbul鈥檚 new 拢7.3bn airport, currently under the first phase of construction.

The tulip-inspired tower from Aecom and Pininfarina was selected over designs from RMJM, Zaha Hadid, Grimshaw-Nordic, Fuksas and Moshe Safdie.

It is Aecom鈥檚 latest win at the airport. Earlier this year it was appointed by 陌GA 鈥 the consortium of five Turkish contractors selected by the Turkish government to build and operate the airport 鈥 to deliver designs for all the airside works at the airport in partnership with Delta Turk.

Yusuf Ak莽ayo臒lu, chief executive of 陌GA, said the new air-traffic control tower would be an 鈥渋conic鈥 structure.

鈥淲e were looking for a striking design fit for a 21st century airport while remaining sensitive to Istanbul鈥檚 unique heritage,鈥 he added.

Jennifer Dixon, head of architecture, Europe, Middle East, India and Africa, Aecom, said: 鈥淚n this competition, our aim was to combine the dynamism and romance of Pininfarina鈥檚 architectural style that is so influenced by automotive design with Aecom鈥檚 in-house aviation architecture capabilities.

鈥淭he Aecom and Pininfarina team has created a beautiful and highly functional piece that rekindles the excitement and glamour of modern air travel at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.鈥

Istanbul New Airport is located 35km outside of the city, on the European side, adjacent to the Black Sea. Once completed it is expected to initially serve 90 million passengers per year. However, subsequent planned phases will expand the airport to include six runways and three terminal buildings with a capacity to serve 180 million passengers annually.