Zayed International Airport crowned 'World's Most Beautiful Airport'
Zayed International Airport making waves…
In news that surprises no one, Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi has been crowned ‘World’s Most Beautiful Airport’ at the prestigious Prix Versailles, The World Architecture and Design Award, in the Airports category. The airport has been awarded in recognition of the architectural and design accomplishments.
The announcement was made at a ceremony in Paris at UNESCO’s Headquarters, falling along with the airport’s first anniversary and the UAE’s 53rd Eid Al Etihad celebrations. This award is all about the success the airport has achieved over the past twelve months, most notable being the fastest-growing airport in the Middle East in terms of international seat capacity.
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It has also achieved an impressive ACI ASQ satisfaction score that ranks the city as one of the best airports in the world. Coupled with strong passenger traffic numbers that have seen a steady quarter-on-quarter increase to serve over 21 million passengers as of September 30.
More about the design…
The airport has been designed to reflect the very best of Abu Dhabi’s cultural heritage and natural environment. The airport’s design language is interwoven with Islamic geometric motifs and natural light floods the space, which is beautifully moderated by the sloping façade and high-performance glass, creating that open, outside feel.
At the heart of the airport is Sana Al Nour, one of the largest art installations in the Middle East. Inspired by the traditional barjeel wind towers in homes everywhere, this 30-metre-diameter installation directs air and light to enhance the building’s energy efficiency, reducing demand by 10 per cent.
The massive airport spans 742,000 square meters and boasts a distinctive X-shaped design, equipped to accommodate up to 11,000 travellers per hour and 79 standing aircrafts simultaneously. This doubles the previous capacity, equipped to manage up to 45 million passengers annually and pioneering the world’s first nine biometric touchpoints by 2025.
Images: Supplied
