Since 9/11, security has become a major issue in the United States of America. For the last ten years, security has become one of the top priorities of the US government. Airports, sea ports, government departments and even private institutions have planned and implemented security programs all over the country to ensure the protection of the citizens of the United States of America.
Airports are the main gates used by most of the travelers to enter a state from abroad or to travel from one city to another within a country. In this era of war, terrorism and retaliation, airports have to strictly monitor the individuals entering or leaving the country through air travel.
The attacks of 9/11 have increased pressure on the aviation authorities of almost all the countries in the world including the US to manage and monitor the flow of passengers using air travel. Managements of airports all over the United States have revamped and implemented tight security programs to tackle the problem of potential terrorists entering the US.
A few days after the 9/11 attacks, Congress passed the Aviation and Transport Security Act. Later, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was established. In accordance with TSA, government employees were given the charge of airport security all over the country. The TSA has implemented programs for screening passengers and the baggage that they carry.
X-rays scanners, metal detectors, and bomb detectors were initially used for the screening. Later on, during 2010, full body scanner, pat downs and strip searches were also introduced by the TSA which led to much rage and criticism amongst the passengers (Bajoria).
Some questions were raised by experts over the effectiveness of such security programs which led to the introduction of profiling. Profiling uses the available information about the passengers to judge whether they are low risk or high risk.
Information such as behavior, criminal record, ethnicity, religion and travelling history is used to determine the level of risk of a passenger. High risk passengers are questioned and made to go through full body scans or pat downs. Low risk passengers usually face lesser problems during their journey from the entrance of the airport to the waiting lounge.
Profiling and security screening at the airports of the US as well as other western countries have become hot topics of debate all over the international media. This study aims to discuss some pros and cons of profiling and security screening at the US airports, but the main emphasis will be laid on the shortcomings of such programs.
It has been witnessed that the policies implemented by powerful governments are presented to the general public in a way which either keeps them from questioning it or convinces them to allow the authorities to discriminate a particular group of people. Well, it’s not enough to write a sentence and then expect the reader to understand and analyze the whole situation without providing strong arguments. So let’s start with the most widely known issues related to profiling and security programs.
The first question raised on this issue is that whether profiling is effective or not. Well, we need strong arguments to agree or disagree. The advocates of the profiling and security screening programs argue that such security procedures are helpful in keeping the country safe. They insist that full body scans and pat downs can make it difficult for the terrorists to conduct their activities in the country and so it will be better to implement such programs.
While making such arguments, they tend to forget that the terrorist organizations are very capable of using other tactics to conduct terror attacks. Terrorists usually have a strong network of intelligence and so it’s not that easy to catch them. The terrorists are not foolish enough to walk through the airport gates knowing that the security programs implemented there are very much advanced and there are chances that they will be caught.
Many countries are profiling their citizens, including the US. The terrorists have another option of employing people from countries where profiling is not implemented yet, to conduct attacks. Profiling also includes noticing the general behavior of the individual while being interrogated. Terrorists can easily pretend to be someone else while such interrogations take place.
It would be better to discuss Umar Farouk (also called underwear bomber) who was caught in December 2009 carrying explosives attached to his under garments. Well, the US government report showed that there was confusion about whether x ray scanners were able to detect the bomb or not. Also, these machines cannot detect anything hidden inside the body; consider the example of drug traffickers making use of capsules to transport heroin / drugs.
Different people have different opinions about the effectiveness of such security programs. Some argue that profiling is more effective than pat downs and full body scans because checking the past records and asking some extra questions does not provoke the passenger as much as invading his or her privacy does.
There is another issue which adds more spice to the debate. Many people argue that, the manufacturers of those machines and technology have considerable influence on the government, and it is well known that in the capitalist system of the US, the big corporations have a major influence on the government, and so they force the government to ease their path to making big profits.
Well, billions of dollars were spent on the purchases and installation of these security screening machines. Who paid? The public obviously, who is angry at the new procedures? The public again, who made billions? The manufacturers.
Now it’s up to the readers to analyze the situation and then make their opinion (Debatepedia).
Next discussion involves the issue of privacy of individuals which is invaded by the security personnel at the airports who “in the name of duty” deprive the individuals of the most basic human rights of liberty and privacy.
During 2010, TSA introduced full body scanners at majority of the air ports of the country. Full body scanners enable the security staff to look through the passenger’s clothes and search for weapons or any other kind of dangerous apparatus which may threaten the safety of others on board.
Many passengers have expressed anger over such programs due to obvious reasons. Invasion of an individual’s privacy is by no means acceptable to that individual even if it is legally implemented by the government. Passengers at many of the major airports of the country have complained about how humiliating such security procedures are.
It is, more or less, like some form of erotic photography. Supporters of such programs insist on the need for such security checks while ignoring the importance people give to privacy, values and respect. The advocates of such security programs claim that, implementing such programs will reduce the risk of terrorist attacks in the country. Some answers to this argument have already been given.
Another important issue related to this problem is the problem of discrimination in profiling. Majority of the Muslim and South Asian passengers expressed anger on the issue of discrimination on the basis of religion. It is not a coincidence that only Arab, Pakistani, Indian and African Muslims are singled out and interrogated.
The west may have lost all of its values and culture, but the majority of the Muslims today value religious obligations and culture. Full body scans, especially, proved to be the most provoking for the Muslims at the US airports. Screening and pat downs of Muslim women has enraged the Muslims all over the world.
Why is it that only the women wearing the Hijab are asked to stand out for extra interrogation only because she is wearing loose dress and a head cover while the rest of the women are only required to go through normal procedures? I consider this not as an accident. It is the practice of deliberately discriminating the Muslims. It’s not racial profiling, but racial discrimination indeed (NPR).
The debate over the topic of profiling and security screening often excludes the opinion of the security staff working at the airports. Many security personnel have expressed disgust about their jobs of conducting pat downs, screenings, interrogations and even strip searches. They hate to touch other people while performing body searches and usually provide passengers the opportunity to abuse them. However, passengers also give the staff a hard time (Daily Mail Reporter).
Works Cited
Bajoria, Jayshree. “The Debate Over Airport Security.” Web.
Lin et al. (2008) sought to understand whether living close to airports raises the chances of being hospitalized from respiratory conditions as opposed to residing farther away. To realize this objective the authors conducted a cross-sectional study among residents who resided near “Rochester, LaGuardia and MacArthur” airports, all of which are in different cities in New York. The data comprised of hospital admissions of patients with respiratory conditions from the period between 1995 and 2000. The sample included children aged between 0-4 years among other members of the population. While the target population was to be located within 12 miles from the airports, the exposure to air pollutants was determined basing on whether individuals lived in areas within or beyond 5 miles. Moreover, Lin et al (2008) considered wind-flow patterns i.e. within or beyond 75 percentiles. The combined effect of wind-flow pattern and proximity to the airports was also determined.
After calculating for hospital admission rates related to respiratory illnesses putting into consideration the exposure indicators for each airport, the authors found out that there were higher admission rates for residents who lived no more than 5 miles from all the airports as opposed to those who lived farther. The rates were highest for residents who lived near LaGuardia and least for residents who lived near MacArthur airport. The authors also noted that there was no positive relationship between hospital admissions from respiratory conditions and wind-flow patterns. Lin et al. (2008) therefore came into a conclusion that closeness to certain airports can lead to increased respiratory conditions and hospitalizations thereof. This is due to exposure to air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds. The authors were cautious to advise that further research should be conducted to expound on factors leading to respiratory conditions related to proximity to airports since many factors contribute to this.
Reference
Lin, S. J., Munsie, J. P., Losavio-Herdt, M., Hwang, S. A. and Civerolo, K. et al., (2008). Residential proximity to large airports and potential health impacts in New York State. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 81:797–804.
In the modern world, air transportation is one of the most important and complex systems of transactions. The most challenging problem it has to deal with is meeting the increasing demand while taking into consideration ecological impacts. Considerable technical advances achieved over the last decades have made aircraft significantly less noisy, polluting, and more fuel-efficient. However, there is a threat that a further increase in demand will soon surpass technical development. At the same time, environmental issues are becoming more and more pressing (De Naufville, Odoni, Belobaba, & Reynolds, 2013).
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is a commercial service airport, which has lately become one of the nation’s busiest, with about 3300 flights per day, which exceeds normal air traffic fourfold (Federal Aviation Administration, 2005). Its operation and maintenance are controlled by the nine-member Aviation Board. The airport is situated in close proximity to Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River. It occupies a territory of about 1600 acres, including all the facilities. The terminal structure consists of four separate concourses and the major terminal (Final environmental assessment, 2013).
In order to perform an accurate environmental assessment, two study areas have been identified: the Regional Study Area covers all neighboring communities, which are influenced indirectly in terms of noise, pollution, wildlife, etc., and the Airport Study Area that covers only about 700 acres and experiences the direct impact of the airport’s activity.
The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are set by the USA Environmental Protection Agency in order to take care of public health. The Agency singles out six basic air pollutants that can undermine it: Carbon Monoxide (CO), Lead (Pb), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Ozone (O3), 8-Hour, Particulate Matter (PM10 or PM2.5), and Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) (Federal Aviation Administration, 2005). Those areas that do not correspond to these standards are referred to as nonattainment areas. Both the Regional Study Area and the Airport Study Area are currently in attainment despite the fact that the former was previously reported to have violations for O3 (Final environmental assessment, 2013).
The noise pollution issue has been dealt with for several decades. The airport successfully implements a buyout program purchasing and insulating homes that are situated within the noise-affected areas. Sound insulation can vary depending on the location (Final environmental assessment, 2013).
Both study areas are classified as urbanized, which implies that the environment provides habitat to species that have adapted to urban conditions (birds and small mammals). No endangered plants or animals have been identified within the boundaries (Final environmental assessment, 2013).
Water pollution issues become acute in winter when anti-icing chemicals are applied to remove snow from runways and planes. Equipment and car washing, fuel spills, and other water-related activities contaminate stormwater in the drainage system of the Regional Study Area. However, the source of pollution is not significant (Final environmental assessment, 2013).
The airport’s emissions do not exceed the accepted level. However, there was a case of diesel fuel release, which led to minor exceedance of benzopyrene, benzobfluoroanthene, and TPH-D. About 30 tons of soil had to be excavated in order to prevent dangerous consequences (Final environmental assessment, 2013).
Despite certain problems that inevitably arise in the activity of any transportation system, if we estimate the total effect of environment-threatening factors, it can be stated that both areas completely fulfill the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the environmental impact categories described in FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, and FAA Order 5050.4B, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementing Instructions for Airport Actions.
References
De Naufville, R. L., Odoni, A. R., Belobaba, P. & Reynolds, T. (2013). Airport systems: Planning, design and management, (2nd ed). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Federal Aviation Administration: Performance and accountability highlights. (2005). Web.
Final environmental assessment for the long term airport development at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. (2013). Web.
Any unwelcome or upsetting sound that interferes with people’s and other species’ health and well-being is referred to as noise pollution. Some of the factors that contribute to ambient noise pollution and its adverse impacts on health are development, economic expansion, and motorized transportation (Münzel, Sørensen & Daiber, 2021). A significant environmental problem that has an extensive human impact is noise, especially in urban areas. Most assessments of the issue of environmental noise to date have been based on how much it irritates people or how much it interferes with other human activities (Graham, 2018). Since more individuals have to deal with the issue of noise as civilization develops, this issue deserves more attention.
Sustainability Problems Associated with Noise
Sustainable development satisfies current requirements without endangering the capacity of future generations to meet their own needs. They serve as a call to action to eradicate poverty and inequality, safeguard the environment, and guarantee that everyone can live in peace, justice, and prosperity. There is no doubt that noise has an adverse effect on the environment and on society. Noise is a problem because it can have a negative impact on people’s health and quality of life (Basner et al., 2017). Both the general public and global policymakers are becoming increasingly concerned about the health effects of environmental noise.
Animals on land and in the sea exposed to noise pollution may experience health issues. Loud or unavoidable noises can result in hearing loss, stress, and elevated blood pressure, from highway noise to rock concerts. Whales and dolphins, whose survival depends on echolocation, are harmed by noise from ships and human activity in the water. Millions of individuals are affected by noise pollution every day. It most frequently results in noise-induced hearing loss. Loud noise exposure can potentially worsen heart disease, high blood pressure, and sleep disorders. Children, in particular, but all age groups, can experience these health issues (Gupta et al., 2018). Children that live close to busy airports or roadways have been proven to experience anxiety, memory loss, attention deficits, and reading difficulties.
As aircraft operations increase to fulfill the demand for passengers and cargo, the aviation system is getting more crowded. People started to become irritated by increased aircraft noise as airports, which were built in major cities when flight numbers were falling, suddenly became busier (Weihofen et al., 2019). Sound waves are produced by friction and turbulence on a flying aircraft. Typically, turbulence and friction increase with the speed of the airplane. Greater noise is produced when the aircraft’s landing gear and wings are deployed because more friction is being created.
Environmental Noise
Environmental noise is the culmination of outdoor noise pollution. Transportation, industrial, and extracurricular activities can all contribute to this noise. In this context, ecological noise is typically present in some way in all regions of movement, whether it be that of people, animals, or the environment. Environmental noise exposure can have a range of effects, from emotional to physiological (Münzel et al., 2018). As a result, numerous governments and institutes around the world study, control, and monitor ambient noise. This gives rise to a variety of jobs, with the measurement of noise serving as the foundation for all judgments.
Social Noise
Social noise affects the information received in ways that are personal and relational, which can confuse, skew, or even modify the underlying point. People may overlook or avoid statements because they think they might spark a disagreement or reflect adversely on them due to social noise (Jariwala et al., 2017). In contrast, social reasons frequently influence how people interact with information they would not usually find enjoyable. As individuals start to realize that a variety of factors affect how people use information online, the identification of social noise can be a crucial step toward information and media literacy. Given the sharp increase of false and misleading material on social media, this is particularly crucial.
Economic Noise
Noise can be the result of program trading, dividend distributions, or other events that are not indicative of the mood of the market as a whole. All trading involves some degree of speculation, but noise traders are regarded as being incredibly impulsive, depending more on trending news, apparent price increases or decreases, or brand awareness than on a fundamental examination of businesses (Huh & Shin, 2018). Minor price adjustments in the market, as well as price variations that skew the overall trend, are examples of noise in the financial markets. Investors may find it challenging to determine what is influencing a trend’s direction and whether it is evolving or just suffering short-term volatility due to market noise.
Management Functions and Noise Management
Regulators and policymakers have acknowledged that irritation brought on by aircraft noise is a negative effect that should be avoided or minimized. Priority is placed on minimizing noise impact at the source and modifying operational practices and takeoff and landing trajectories (Rodríguez-Díaz, Adenso-Díaz & González-Torre, 2017). Although sound insulation for homes is frequently used, this practice has no impact on how loud airplanes sound outside. Because personal non-acoustic characteristics like perceived behavioral control and confidence in authorities have an impact on how annoying people feel, communication tactics that address these concerns may help reduce annoyance in addition to or even instead of noise reduction.
The majority of stakeholders continue to place the most emphasis on decreasing noise at the source. Despite having implemented a significant number of acoustic improvements over the past few decades, manufacturers still have room to improve noise mitigation (Homola et al., 2019). By enlarging the fan’s diameter and generating a supplementary bypass airstream, turbofans lower jet speed. Existing designs will be replaced by new technologies, such as the geared turbofan, rather than being expanded upon (Münzel & Sørensen, 2017). As a result, although this problem is evident to many companies, satisfying customers does not always work out as new insulation technologies are slowly being applied in actual practice.
Communication Function
Airlines and suppliers alone are unable to address the noise issue. Eliminating the noise that comes with a rise in air travel demand requires cooperation among all stakeholders. Proactive mitigation is significant for gateways that wish to advance operations through new runways or infrastructure. Domestic and international authorities are unlikely to approve airport expansion unless they can clearly demonstrate that the airport takes noise pollution seriously. On the operational side, a number of flight techniques designed to reduce noise are being tested (Camara et al., 2018). Additionally, due to operational constraints, night flights are only permitted for postal deliveries and emergencies. This function is less practiced today since there are no superimposed channels of action for the application of potential solutions.
Planning Function
Airports are focusing on strategies like effective land-use management, and operational changes made by aircrew or air traffic controllers are also having a positive impact. Initially requiring just a simple limit on the number of permitted aircraft operations, it has evolved over time into a sophisticated classification system that evaluates various arrivals and departures according to the noise certifications of a particular aircraft (Trojanek & Huderek-Glapska, 2018). This technique not only lessens nighttime noise pollution but also emphasizes to international operators the operational advantages of the newest, quietest aircraft types.
Land-use planning can be used to reduce the number of relevantly exposed subjects. Passive sound insulation represents mitigation measures that can be effective in reducing sleep disturbance, as subjects usually spend their nights indoors. At some airports, nighttime traffic curfews have been imposed by regulation (Chandrappa & Das, 2021). It is essential to line up the curfew period with the sleep patterns of the population. Due to budgetary constraints and a lack of coordination amongst the different parties involved, these limits are frequently not really enforced. Even when properly implemented, they have not always prevented conflicts caused by noise, which suggests the potential drawbacks of this strategy.
This feature is far more efficient than previous, as it is already in use at several international airports. However, airport operators often have no influence over how land is used away from the airport site and are limited to lobbying local governments to take airport noise into account when considering plans for domestic and other noise-sensitive land uses (Batóg et al., 2019). To prevent future development from being harmed by excessive airplane noise, the industry urges governments to adopt a long-term proactive planning system for land use around airports.
Business Threats and Opportunities and the Issue of Noise
Robust measurements are provided, and an economic assessment of noise annoyance and health impacts is required. The application and usage of these values in decision-making are crucial; when considering airport development, noise might be a key concern (Sparrow et al., 2019). Noise-related expenses prompt measures to control and minimize noise. Although airplane manufacturers have created quieter models, there remains a compromise between energy economy and quieter construction and operation; any mitigation effort should be worth more than it costs (Paling & Thomas, 2018). The costs of mitigation are pretty easy to quantify since they have a market price for installation and upkeep, as in the case of added durability or roadblocks, or for assessing advantages that are forfeited, as in the case of noise restrictions.
Business Opportunities
Some states factor in the cost of noise’s effects while determining their policies. The ability of people to pay to avoid being exposed to noise is the basis for the monetization of noise. American authorities or municipalities can operate or enhance airports more affordably than European governments because of the far laxer regulatory standards in the US (Bishop & Laing, 2020). However, the health of those who live close to airports could be harmed by this less stringent guideline.
The planning of flight routes by air traffic control takes into account where people are most likely to be. Now that GPS performance has improved recently, planes can follow precisely defined tracks. This prevents track spreading, and the mixed radar flight track maps that result, but it may mean that fewer people are subjected to more flyovers (Mahseredjian, Thomas & Hansman, 2021). Airlines and pilots can put noise reduction techniques into practice, such as lower thrust takeoff, displacement landing thresholds, and uninterrupted descent procedures, with the help of air traffic management providers and airport staff.
Community participation is the most excellent way to educate everyone involved in route development. Since it prevents the deployment of proposals that do not take into account the feedback from the impacted stakeholders, correctly performed community consultation can also be less expensive (Asensio, Gasco & de Arcas, 2017). The prospective resumption of supersonic planes could have an additional impact on the neighborhood since they might violate current noise limits and expose more people to aircraft noise.
Conclusion
Noise contains both an objective and a subjective component because it is described as an unwanted sound. A sound’s classification as noise depends on both its acoustical characteristics and how much it obstructs planned activities. One of the most negative impacts on the environment of flying is noise. To safeguard the community living close to airports and to address prospective restrictions on air traffic operations, mitigation of these diverse noise impacts is required.
The preponderance of stakeholders continues to emphasize noise reduction at the source the most. Manufacturers have made a lot of acoustic advancements over the past few decades, but there is always an opportunity for growth in noise reduction. Effective land-use management is one of the measures that airports are working on, and operational modifications made by aircrew or federal aviation administration are also having a good effect. In addition to reducing evening noise pollution, this technique highlights to foreign operators the functional benefits of the newest, lightest types of planes.
The number of subjects accessible to important information can be decreased by land-use planning. Given that participants typically spend their nights outdoors, passive base isolation provides mitigation methods that can be useful in reducing sleep disruption. Airport operators, on the other hand, are frequently powerless to influence how land is utilized away from the airport site and are instead restricted to pushing local governments to implement airport noise into account when determining plans for domestic and other noise-sensitive land use types.
Finally, optimizing the flight route in conjunction with new technical advancements should dramatically lower fuel consumption and noise levels. The examination of engine efficiency and weight savings should be two benefits of this contribution, particularly in connection with passive control noise systems. The most efficient way to lessen aircraft noise pollution is through capable aircraft acoustic engineering. Moreover, when the next-generation airplanes become more prevalent, their significance will only grow.
Reference List
Asensio, C., Gasco, L., & de Arcas, G. (2017) ‘A review of non-acoustic measures to handle community response to the noise around airports’. Current Pollution Reports, 3(3), pp. 230-244. Web.
Bishop, R., & Laing, K. (2020) ‘Impact of airport noise on residential property values: Cairns Airport’. The Journal of New Business Ideas & Trends, 18(1), 12-20. Web.
Chandrappa, R., & Das, D. B. (2021) ‘Noise pollution’. Environmental Health Theory and Practice. Springer, Cham. pp. 141-148. Web.
Graham, A. (2018) Managing airports: An international perspective. Routledge. Web.
Gupta, A., et al. (2018) ‘Noise pollution and impact on children health’. The Indian Journal of Pediatrics, 85(4), pp. 300-306. Web.
Huh, S. Y., & Shin, J. (2018) ‘Economic valuation of noise pollution control policy: does the type of noise matter?’. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 25(30). Web.
Homola, D., et al. (2019) ‘Aviation noise-pollution mitigation through redesign of aircraft departures’. Journal of Aircraft, 56(5), pp. 1907-1919. Web.
Münzel, T., Sørensen, M., & Daiber, A. (2021) ‘Transportation noise pollution and cardiovascular disease’. Nature Reviews Cardiology, 18(9), pp. 619-636. Web.
Mahseredjian, A., Thomas, J., & Hansman, R. J. (2021) ‘Advanced procedure noise model validation using airport noise monitor networks’. International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering. Web.
Paling, C., & Thomas, C. (2018) ‘Airport sustainability and corporate social responsibility’. The Routledge Companion to Air Transport Management. Routledge. pp. 297-310. Web.
The newspapers article on Time World Magazine “Why Did Charles de Gaulle Take a Fall?” (Crumley, May 30, 2004) is set to uncover the cause of the collapse of Charles de Gaulle airport in France. The article does not provide any details as to why the building came crumbling a few months after its completion. Suggestive pieces of writing need to begin with an informative history of an item and then proceed to possible causes and then narrow down to the highly probable ones. The quality issue is that the article fails to connect the reasons why the airport terminal crumbled. The first paragraph of the writer explores a brief construction history of the airport and paragraph two quickly switches to the consequences of the terminal collapse. This leaves a gap in what happened during the fall. Moreover, no substantive witness accounts and structural engineer reports are in use to give the piece depth of analysis.
One of the quality tools that can be used to eliminate the problem is the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook. It calculates the number of years of education one needs to understand a piece of writing. This is an analysis tool that tests a journalist’s competence and also gauges the audience’s comprehension of the written material. Through it, the article may be evaluated on the premise of whether it meets the intended reader’s expectation. Another tool of importance is the editorial excellence inventory which aids newspapers to monitor and measure news content. It works through a scorecard on performance objectives met by the editor over time. This creates a track of factors that improve or decrease readership. The combined use of the two tools encapsulates the entire process of journalism from information gathering to dissemination thereby analyzing every step of news production.
To deal with the problem identified in the article, first, it would be paramount to construct an apt title for the article, after which comparative paragraphs are written to relate the provided proof and the title of the writing.
The article on The Wall Street Journal “Shanghai Building Collapses, Nearly intact” (Canaves, June 29, 2009) is a concise article that recounts the event of the tragic collapse of the apartment block in China Shangai province. The article fails to register a chronology of the events that led to the plummeting of the structure despite its precise format. This distorts how the information consumption by the reader and breaks the flow of the story. The first paragraph mode of writing is in an analytical form instead of prose reporting that introduces the context of the story. The quality issue is the lack of flow in the storyline from the pre-events of the disaster to the aftermath of the accident.
To solve the above-stated problem, tools for evaluating information relevance are to be employed. Source data can be evaluated using Pareto analysis to produce a minimum set of facts that is essential in creating a concise story. Occurrences that have loads of source information can be cumbersome to process and present in a concise form.
Another means of monitoring the quality of news in this article is by use of cause-and-effect diagrams. The fishbone diagrams identify related information that can be used to make arguments. Solving the problem identified in this article will first require a gathering of related information that surrounds the collapse of the building in Shanghai. Then, using a grounded theory approach, make inferences from the data. Finally, pick a set of few conclusions to write up the story.
References
Canaves, Sky. (2012). Shanghai Building Collapses, Nearly Intact. The Wall Street Journal. Web.
Crumley, Bruce. (2004). Why Did Charles de Gaulle Take a Fall?. The Time World Magazine. Web.
Global economies can have a significant impact on various areas including airports and airlines. In Kelowna where we stay, YLW is not an exception. Cary Swoveland discussed the effects of the runway extension on the territory’s economy and the social life of its citizens (Swoveland 157). This was after the first proposition in relation to the expansion was presented and examined. Swoveland focused on the cost-benefit analysis of the effects of the runway extension and the development of a system of the additional flights.
Fig 1: Kelowna International Airport
According to my research, the runway extensions were made in 2008 and that was when I arrived. The YLW was already being referred to as an international airport. The last time I checked, that airport was still under construction. People asked me why I decided to go there and I always answered that it was in order to facilitate the study and that the agents provided me with all kinds of information about the city. This meant that I had been provided with relevant information such as the fact that the availability of more international flights to the Okanagan facilitated tourism in the region.
Fig 2: Expansion of Kelowna International Airport
It is possible to consider the development of the airport as insignificant for the other spheres and social communities of the region. However, the Kelowna International Airport (YLW) is a significant structure that has led to the development of the economy. This has also been influenced by the economies of different countries such as Great Britain, Germany and other Asians countries. The airport’s development can affect various aspects within the community. The development of the airport is important for the Thomson Okanagan region because its economy is connected not only with the airlines’ progress but also with the businesses of the whole community. The phenomenon can be explained by the fact that the airport enables various social interactions within the community. It also facilitates provision of services by the suppliers.
The Kelowna International Airport is a result of globalisation since globalisation leads to growth of some physical elements including transportation (airports). The airport has greatly influenced the Thomson Okanagan region and Canada as a whole. The impacts of the airport to the surrounding community may be described in three main levels. The first level is the direct impact. This may include the development of the companies or firms at the site where the airport is located. Examples of such amenities include restaurants and lounges.
Gift shops are also located within the airport and this has enhanced business and provided economic gains. The second level is the indirect impact. This may include some of the industries supported by YLW. An example includes the suppliers to the airport businesses. The last level is the induced level. This may be in terms of job creation as a result of the expenditures by the persons working for the airport directly or indirectly. For example, the employees in the airport may spend on home renovations.
The economic impact of the Kelowna International Airport may be assessed in different ways. One of the ways is assessing its impact on the dollar value of the products from the industries. Another way this could be done is by evaluating the number of years (working years) of employment generated due to the establishment of the airport. Another way of assessing the impact is by determining its impact on the GDP (value-added). Since the establishment of the Kelowna International Airport, at least 2730 jobs have been generated directly (by the year 2010). It also led to the increase in the gross domestic product and economic output. The average wages also increased significantly. Specifically, this number hit the $140 million mark.
The airport has also facilitated the growth of trade between the surrounding areas and the rest of the world. This may be described by how globalisation may affect the economy through facilitating the flow of goods and services. Tourism has also grown significantly courtesy of YLW. This is due to the provision of air links between Kelowna and other economies around the globe. The benefits have been experienced in Kelowna, the B.C. area and the entire Thomson Okanagan region. The daily commercial flights outside the country have facilitated transport across the borders. In 2010 alone, at over 1.3 million passengers were served by YLW. This explains how globalisation has a social effect in that it increases mobility or flow of people.
The growth plan (expansion) for the airport was deemed important due to the ever-increasing passenger number. This growth plan was put in place in order to meet this passenger traffic demand. The funds to facilitate this were channelled by the Western Economic Diversification Canada. This expansion plan was meant to facilitate the inclusion of the international long-haul passenger airplanes. This was to be achieved through the upgrading of the airside aprons. Due to this growth, there will be more economic growth and the effects of globalisation will continue to be experienced.
Works Cited
Swoveland, Cary. “Benefit-Cost Analysis of a Proposed Runway Extension”. Management Science 27.2 (1981): 155-173. Print.
Conducting a review of articles has a particular value and many advantages. Hence, this process helps to identify the strengths of the analyzed scientific work, gain an understanding of how to conduct research correctly and provide information for the most accessible and most productive assimilation by the audience. Moreover, for other scholars, conducting an article review is a valuable experience in the conclusions from which future papers can be written. This work aims to study the article “The causality analysis of Airports and regional economy” and how effectively and clearly the authors conveyed the main idea of the work.
The article under the study has the full title “The causality analysis of airports and regional economy: Empirical evidence from Jiangsu province in China” and was written by Bai and Wu in 2022. This gives it relevance, which makes it relevant and valuable for a lot of further research. This scientific work explores the interaction between the aviation industry and the economy of the country and how strong a connection exists between these two indicators, which represents the thesis of the work. To obtain the necessary information, the article used the Granger causality test, variation decomposition, and impulse response functions (Bai & Wu, 2022). The data obtained after studying Jiangsu province in the Yangtze River delta region were taken as a basis.
Consequently, the main aim of academic work is the analysis of the selected aspects in the Chinese province of Jiangsu. The reason for this choice was the fact that despite the positive relationship between aviation and the economy, there are no significant positive dynamics in this region. Moreover, the authors see the contribution of the work in the fact that it can offer data obtained in the course of empirical research that can serve to develop policies and strategies to improve the situation. Moreover, they can be helpful in improving the economic situation in other provinces that are dependent on the aviation industry.
First of all, the article provides a literary review, which presents data confirming the connection between the aviation industry and the economy of the regions. Thus, the researchers emphasize that China occupies a leading place in the aviation industry, and the field of activity under study offers “employment opportunities, industrial upgrading, and social welfare improvement” (Bai & Wu, 2022, p. 3). Moreover, additional research showed “a positive but not significant effect on population and employment” in the aviation industry (Tveter, 2017, p. 57). At the same time, there is an opinion that “the long-run causalities between air transport and the local economy only in one direction the growth in GDP causes the growth in the number of the passengers” (Todorova & Haralampiev, 2020, p. 157). Thus, the analyzed scientific work is a valuable source of the interaction between this sphere and the economy.
Thus, the main topic of the relationship between the economy and aviation forms the basis of the article by Bai and Wu. One of the main ones is the study of two aspects of the gross domestic product. Further, topics related to the provision of jobs, infrastructure development, and the overall positive contribution to the economy of a particular region are mentioned. Some sources emphasize that “causal impacts are hard to identify empirically due to the fundamentally endogenous nature of the relationship between air transport and the economy” (Carbo & Graham, 2020, p. 1). Despite this, the researchers make an attempt to show that examination of such a topic can have significant value.
The authors of this study take the point of view of the interdependent relationship between the two examined indicators. However, it is worth noting that the opinion provided in the paper is based on conducting a complete and in-depth study of the information. Using the previously mentioned tests and models, the authors obtained data on the basis of which they formed a relatively objective answer to the proposed question. Moreover, when reading the article, an accurate understanding of the central theme of the work was formed, and it was possible to highlight a clear point that would help readers form a definite conclusion. It is worth adding that a possible conclusion could be related to the thesis or the main conclusion, which is the positive side of the article under study.
Based on the above information, the authors draw several main conclusions. First, they confirm the thesis that the aviation industry and the region’s economy are interrelated and mutually promoting. In addition, scientific work has shown that the gross domestic product has a sound and direct effect on the number of passengers, gradually increasing in the long term. On the other hand, the number of people using air services was not so constant and steadily reflected in it (Bai & Wu, 2022). Another valuable conclusion was that paying attention to the aviation sector is necessary not only for itself but also for the development of infrastructure and support for the development of new firms.
To support the conclusions that were highlighted in the work, the authors used various sorts of evidence and reasoning. Therefore, the VAR model and a Granger causality test were used to obtain the data, which proved the inextricable relationship between the aviation industry and the economic side of regional development (Bai & Wu, 2022). Moreover, the literary review provides a substantial number of references to third-party research by other authors. This shows that in this way, the authors were able to minimize the value of bias in their article. To determine whether the data is accurate, it is enough to analyze how they are used in the study. All the mentioned resources have a solid evidence base and are implemented not as the primary source of information but as an addition to what the authors of the work are talking about.
Finally, it is worth noting the general impression that a typical audience may have and what they could take from the article after reading it. Consequently, because scientific work concerns a relatively narrow economic topic, it will be helpful to employees in the economic sphere. This is since a lot of attention is paid to the fact that this article focuses on the aviation industry and its impact on the gross domestic product, employment of individuals, and infrastructure development. Moreover, the authors of the study, analyzing the province in China, show the need for more remarkable development in this area to improve economic performance since the region has all the possibilities for this. The impression after this article should leave a positive impression after reading and become a source of valuable information.
One of the greatest assets of China is its unbelievable power of imagination. It has helped them to create a number of things that the rest of the countries would have been going to for another thousand years. The most impressive inventions have been made here; these are compass, powder, paper and typography. This is a country of architects, since they have built not only the Great Wall of China, but also numerous palaces that bear only a slightest resemblance to the European ones. And it’s no wonder that one of the most beautiful airports has been built exactly here.
What makes people sour high as a bird? Is this the feeling that we should have been born with wings? Or do people want to abandon the earth with its miseries and reach heaven or at least what is given there for heaven? No one knows that for sure. But since people have created the steel birds to ride, they started making shelters for their new “pets”.
Among all existing, Chek Lap Kok Airport is one of the most impressive ones. A wonder of technique and design, it looks right decent to serve as a shelter for the metal beasts. (Blow 73)
There is something particularly special about this building. Big as it is supposed to be, it is still elegant and somewhat stylish, which is the best thing that the designers could have provided for the building. However, let us talk the story as it goes.
Fig. 1. Chek Lap Kok Airport from above The plan was put into practice with the excellent result.
The famous invention of the XX century, the airport of Chek Lap Hok was built in the distant 1925. In those times, it was more than the product inspired by the new technological inventions. The scale of the project could be compared to building the pyramids. It involved the latest technical gadgets and tools, and the design was supposed to surpass the beauty of a king’s palace.
Chek Lap Kok Airport from above
First located in the Kowloon city district, which lacked the room and had a single runway, it was looking like a giant trapped in a rabbit hole. The airport needed some air, if you excuse me fro a tautology. So in 1990ies it was suggested that the airport should be relocated. However, the place where the airport was transferred to was the least expected one you could have thought of. Again, only the Chinese could have built an airport, a place that connects the earth and sky, in the middle of an ocean…
The airport is situated on an island, of Chek Lap Kok, which gave the airport its name and suggested a big area of a peculiar shape to build it on. The sialnd, as if cut with a knife into a weird patch, is shaped into a huge plane, which can be seen only from the bird’s-eye view.
Even though it already makes a pure miracle that an airport can be situated on an island and that it can take the whole island, there are still a lot of things to be astounded with.
To start out, the size of the building and its all premises is tremendous. Like a dinosaur cannot be compared to an ant, the Chek Lap Kok airport cannot stand the comparison to the rest of the buildings or even other airports. Its area is huge, 12.48 km2. To draw a parallel, the total area of Liechtenstein is 160,475 m2, so imagine how many Liechtensteins it would take to make the Chek Lap Kok airport. It sounds incredible, doesn’t it?
The premises have enough room to accommodate a small country. This was a breakthrough in the architecture technologies, and the project was one of the most risky ever undertaken. Still the multiple doubts proved wrong, and what we can observe now is the triumph of design and architecture.
It does seem a little awkward and weirdly giant for the world squeezed between the small one-storey buildings, but if you take a look at it from the distance, you will surely notice how elegant and refined it looks, the modern style expressed with such a taste that it seems no longer rough and metal-cold.
Fig. 2. Chek Lap Kok International Airport.
Its lights create the atmosphere of the place where you are always welcome and long awaited. Yet it suggests the modern facilities that every high-ranked airport can suggest. That is definitely a place to long for after a tiring journey back home.
The people who have created it deserve being praised as the most outstanding engineers of our times (Ho 62). The peculiarity of the Chinese people is that they manage to combine a deep and profound philosophy and a totally new approach. They both pay the greatest tribute to their traditions as all Asian people do, and yet they add a tint of the epoch the rest of the world lives in, so that the work would not seem a stranger in here. That is what they have actually done to the building. It is completely new, yet preserving the fleur of the Chinese wisdom.
Why is that so? What are the Chinese so special about and what kind of secret do they know that has helped them to pull such a rabbit out of their hat? – Perhaps, it is their philosophy that makes them such amazing designers. After all, it an old Chinese proverb says, “If you want to know things, build a ship”. Following their eluding wisdom, it must be that if you want to know people, you must build a place for them to return from their adventures and travels. Build an airport…
With the history of several thousand years and the experience gained both in the economical and political relationships with the other states established on the highest level of politeness and courtesy, the Chinese people have all grounds to consider themselves the country of the richest traditions and experience. Their culture dates back to the times immemorial, and they have brought the fire of their enlightenment burning through the centuries and millenniums. They have created a philosophy that views the world as something completely unknown and yet suggesting its hidden treasures to the traveler attentive enough.
The core idea about the Chinese philosophy is that they tend to transfer the things they have been given by the Mother Nature into a work of art and a masterpiece. The hundreds of schools of thought have made the Chinese the people with the richest worldview, yet this nation is considered the most humble and reserved one along with the Japanese. That is a part of the Eastern philosophy as well. They aim at achieving the result, and what happens in between the work is just the notes a traveler takes on his journey to the promised land.
The Chinese idea of beauty contrives to convey both the concepts of the Eastern world and the ideas of the West that top the whole construction making it perfect. It resembles a flower, the beauty of which is a pure philosophy that does not need analyzing.
As we know, the head ideas of the Chinese wisdom are the following: Tao, which stands for the way, or the doctrine a person keeps to and thinks the way that is going to lead him to the highest state of soul; De, that covers the virtues and the power a man has to possess to become spiritually enlightened; Li, the principles one is to adhere to in case he does not want to miss the chance to lead a holy and pious life; Qui, which is can be either the vital energy or the material force that keeps a man on the run, not letting him loosen the grip and cut on his religious behaviour and state of soul; and, finally, and, the last but far not the least, the Taiji, the unification of the two polar notions, the feminine and the masculine principle. The last one is the final stage of the meditations that must purify the soul and bring a man to the state of utter bliss and blessedness. This was what they involved as they were working on the Chek Lap Kok Airport.
Fig. 3. Taiji, the symbol of the feminine and the masculine principle united.
They have brought the harmony of earth and air together, the steel providing a solid fundament and frame for the whole construction, and the glass and lights creating the gorgeous look that makes people gasp with delight.
The hidden force within is something that characterizes the Chinese philosophy at its utmost. They make it peak so that they could create something really outstanding, and that is what they achieve after long time of training, both bodily and spiritually.
The culture of theirs, a thing in itself, is rather stable. They are not afraid of catching a virus of another culture that is way different from theirs, but the Chinese manage to take the best of the foreign influence.
This very peculiarity has drawn them to creating the Chek Lap Kok Airport, a link to the outer world, full of new ideas and the wisdom to discover.
The building of the century was about to begin.
However, this is the thing that is far easier to say than to make, and the whole process took a great deal of pains and efforts from its constructors and the engineers. First, there were lots of sketches of how it should look, and the architects could not come to a certain conclusion.
Still it is a miracle that such a tremendous system, not even a building, could be created in less than two years and a half.
Unlike the characters of an old tale, the architects bothered themselves with the problem of the extra durability of the airport. That meant the materials in use had to be both light, so that the construction would not seem very heavy and bulky, and that the elegance of the design must not affect the construction and decrease the number of the elements included. The Task seemed impossible to put to practice, since the ways of designing used in XX century did not include the structures that are in active use now, and thus something had to be done about the contradicting issues.
However, the numerous questions the designers kept asking themselves were solved step by step. To start with, the material they used was a special kind of concrete that could endure very severe conditions and stay in its original form despite the attacks from the outside. These could be heat, freeze, water, fire etc…. No one could enumerate beforehand the possible accidents that could happen. With such a risky and completely new project everything was plausible and any danger was taken into account as a real one.
It was the precast and prestressed concrete that was used during the building of the airport. The specific feature about the concrete was that it could endure the high temperature and are a soundproof material, so the people in the terminal will not hear the deafening roar of the landing plane. Defined as a superstructure, this material guaranteed the safest environment for both the staff and the people waiting for the plane arrival in the waiting room.
Fig. 4. The scheme of the Chek Lap Kok Airport.
The methods the airport was built deserve a close attention, too, for they were a brand new feature of the XX century architecture. Since the precast concrete was in use, the method that the workers applied was the one called “precast girders with cast-in-situ slab”. The strange-sounding name meant that the workers and the engineers used the concrete that cast faster and the material they finally got was times harder than the usual concrete, which allowed working quickly and at the same time at the top quality. It was the optimum solution for the building of this kind, the scale unbelievably high and the ambitions of the engineers and constructors raised at the top.
The whole process involved both marine and land operations, which took a lot of pains from the workers and needed the specific equipment to work in the depth of the ocean. (Lay 55)
It is also important to mention the equipment that was used during the process of installing the building. These were the ancillary equipment that helped to sustain the changes already applied. It was also the drilling and mining equipment that was used to create the building according to the design. It is impossible to overstate the value of the water quality monitoring system that was of vital importance to the people working on the building. It provided a quick cleaning of the water and coordinated its height and pressure. One can say that everything depended on its working correctly and precisely. The aim of the monitoring was “to measure a range of water quality parameters’, which helped detecting the changes that had some impact on the marine works held. (Plant 116)
There was also the tool, called the marine growth control equipment. The aim of this tool was to register the changes that occurred as the work went on and give a signal in case something was going wrong. That was the kind of tool that provided a safety in the workplace and at the same time was used for measuring the specific data that was changing each and every moment. The situation was rather tense and at times the workers were not able to take the environment any longer.
However, at times the amount and the size of the tools used were impossible to record anyway. It was either too secretive, or there was no recording of its usage. As a rule, the building of such places requires that the information about its being constructed was kept back as long as possible. In fact, the equipment described is far not the only used, but the company keeps its mysteries well enough.
Now I suppose you would like to know who the people to build it were. The engineers are always sure to think that their names will not escape people’s memory, but those who took the hardest work to cope with will always remain unknown. that sounds way too unfair for me, and that is why I would like to say a couple of words about the workers who created the magnificent airport.
Fig. 5. Chek Lap Kok Airport from inside.
Norman Foster the architect, who conducted the process, was the leader in this venture. Those who were the labor force were both the local people and the specialists form the foreign countries. The total count was 600 people, and that made the labor force engaged into building the airport. The number of professionals engaged was huge as well, all of them working over the project. That was the project that literally brought together not only the people of China, but the people of the other countries as well. The teamwork achieved was a great importance for the future of the project. (Zhang 57) The building was shaping day by day, and finally it took the form of the most beautiful building the mankind has ever created. That could be named the achievement of a lifetime.
Although the airport was built relatively not so long ago and the methods that were used to created it were brand-new at the very moment the building began, it still seems to me that with the modern technologies that we can use today, it would still look a bit different if the building were constructed today. The Chinese infrastructure of roads and terminals is superior at present, but things could change at any moment.
First of all, it would use the minimum of materials, as this is the idea of the XXI century buildings to take as less as possible and yet to create an original structure that would set people’s imagination on fire.
Then, the shape would not be that futuristic-looking, for the today ideas of architecture tend to be as close to the natural shape as possible, and this would probably mean that the airport would take a shape of a big box. It would be merely a rectangle.
Then, speaking of the materials that the airport would be built of, I would say that theses could be concrete as well, but the modern technologies have already made it twice as durable as it was before, and the way it fixes represent a breakthrough in the architecture, for the time needed for that is minimized to several minutes. That would make the time the building could take much less than two years and a half, the original term for the Chek Lap Kok airport building.
And, finally, it seems to me that built today, it would take much more from the European culture than the original one did, and that would make the airport not so distinguished and would deprive it of its amazing look. The Europeans just could not think to build it on an island, and give it so much air. To sum up, the airport would possess te treats of the European civilization, namely the western one, and the originality of the Chinese would turn into the originality of the Europeans.
However, it is necessary to admit that the technical parameters of the airport would not be harmed in this way; on the contrary, they would be improved. It is all the design that becomes more usual and with the national traits erased. That is what the merging of the nations and the globalization take.
Reference List
Blow, Christopher J. Transport Terminal and Modal Interchanges: Planning and Design. Olympia, WA: Elsevier, 2005.
Ho, Ken K. S., K. S. Li. Geotechnical Engineering. Meeting Society’s Needs. New York, NY: Taylor and Francis, 2001. Print.
Lay, David. Millionaire Migrants. Trans-Pacific Life Lines. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons, 2010. Print.
Plant Graham W., Craig S. Covil and Robin A. Hughes. Site Preparation for the New Hong Kong International Airport. New York, NY: Thomas Telford, 1998. Print.
Zhang, Amning. Air Cargo in Mainland China and Hong Kong. New York, NY: Ashgate Publishing, 2004. Print.
The design and creation of architecture include several vital requirements, for example, the functionality of the planned building, comfortability, harmony with the environment, heating, cooling, air conditioning systems, technical feasibility, and energy savings. Significantly, Beijing Daxing International Airport in China was chosen for analysis. The Airport is remarkable because it is the creation of the famous late architect Zaha Hadid, which carries all the characteristics of her inimitable style. The study focuses on discussing Beijing Daxing International Airport’s structure, lighting, rainwater, heating, and cooling systems. In addition, the coordination between these systems and the role of the interior designer in construction are indicated.
Background
The role of the interior designer is fundamental in the architecture world. First of all, the designer should combine engineering and construction knowledge to create the internal environment. According to Webber (2017, p. 24), the design process of a building includes five stages such as “programming, schematic design, design development, construction documentation, and contract administration.” Above all, the interior designer should have excellent communication skills to enable efficient collaboration between engineers, architects, and the client.
Consequently, the designer has complex responsibilities that involve managing the functional and aesthetic sides of the construction. Abyzov and Kysil (2020) argue that modern interior design has undergone significant changes due to technical progress and growing environmental requirements. Hence, interior design should be implemented in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, innovative technologies, and national traditions. Creating a modern interior design is a complex task that considers many fundamental external and internal aspects that impact the construction’s spatial, functional, and aesthetic sides (Abyzov and Kysil, 2020). As follows, external factors are associated with the pre-design evaluation, such as climatic, environmental, and technological. For instance, interior designers determine the climatic and geological conditions of the planned building and their impact on the environment.
Hence, the internal factors relate to the cultural and psycho-emotional analysis. In particular, according to Abyzov and Kysil (2020, p. 84), psycho-emotional aspects relate to “the psychological and emotional perception of a harmonious environment, scale, proportions, color climate, lighting, landscaping” that influence the humans’ health and mental perception of the design. Significantly, Beijing Daxing International Airport stands out among present-day architectural projects in China.
Moreover, Beijing Daxing International Airport meets particular systematic and structural principles and represents contemporary, human-centered, accessible, and technologically advanced interior design. Thus, the Airport was selected for the study because the construction is complex, unique, attractive, and modern. The Airport is built in the South of the Daxing district next to the Yongding River and is situated about 50 km from the center of Beijing (Peng et al., 2020). Doyle (2019) states that the airport construction took five years and cost 120 billion yuan. According to Ravenscroft (2019), the Airport was completed in 2019 and designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. The terminal area of 700,000 square meters was designed by Zaha Hadid, the founder of the Zaha Hadid Architects, who died in 2016, and current studio director Patrick Schumacher, together with ADPI airport specialist (Ravenscroft, 2019). Doyle (2019) informs that Beijing Daxing International Airport has one terminal, seventy-nine gates, four civilian runways, and one military runway. Hence, the Airport became the biggest in the world; it can fit a hundred football fields.
Beijing Daxing International Airport is huge and has a complex engineering structure. Mizuno and Tokuda (2019) point out that the terminal has five stories above the ground and two below. For instance, the restaurants are located on the fifth floor, and “the third and the second-floor server as domestic departure and arrival gates respectively” (Mizuno and Tokunda, 2019, p. 768). Consequently, the departure gate for international flights is situated on the fourth floor, while the ground floor has the international arrival gates. Mizuno and Tokuda (2019) state that the Airport’s first basement level is connected to the subway, namely Beijing Daxing International Airport Express and the high-speed railway, Beijing-Xiong’an Intercity Railway. Cristiano Ceccato, the ZHA London associate, said, “The Beijing Daxing International Airport is quite unique. It combines best practices of airport design and international standards, together with very advanced knowledge in China about designing and building airports” (Doyle, 2019, p. 91). Therefore, the airport’s building design is unique and innovative and deserves to be studied further.
The starfish design of the Airport increases the number of aircraft passing through it and shortens the distance for travelers. Moreover, Zaha Hadid Architects claims that the Airport’s compact radial design provides passenger comfort and allows the maximum number of aircraft to be positioned directly at the terminal with a minimum distance from the center of the building (Ravenscroft, 2019). Thus, passengers can walk to their gates within eight minutes, enjoying the Airport’s light-filled interior and many other amenities (Zhang, 2021). Furthermore, Daxing Airport is an excellent piece of architecture as the building was built considering the environmental issues. For instance, Zhang (2021) argues that airport design elements, such as sun protection and natural light filtering, not only brighten the space but also reduce the overall energy consumption and carbon emissions of the building by about 50 percent. Specifically, Beijing Daxing International Airport reduces its carbon footprint and also collects and filters rainwater to prevent flooding (Zhang, 2021). Notably, the construction is solar-powered and has comprehensive and innovative heating and water management systems.
Zaha Hadid and Beijing Daxing International Airport
The idea for Beijing Daxing International Airport belongs to Zaha Hadid, the legendary Iraqi-British architect and designer. It is important to note that Zaha Hadid was born in 1950 and passed away in 2016 (Sebastian, 2018). Zaha studied Architecture at the Architectural Association (AA) School in London under Rem Koolhaas and Elia Zenghelis. Russian Constructivism influenced her unique style, a utilitarian philosophy where beauty is more crucial than functionality (Sebastian, 2018). In addition, Hadid was inspired by “Abstract and Fragmented forms or Fluid and Free forms” (Sebastian, 2018, p. 496). She founded Zaha Hadid Architects in 1979 and was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize, which is equivalent to the Nobel Prize in architecture (Zaha Hadid Architects). Significantly, Zaha Hadid made her architectural style famous all over the world.
Indeed, this talented woman did not try to fit construction into the space; she created this space herself and always went beyond the generally accepted rules. Accordingly, Hadid is called the 21st-century modernist woman because of her innovative views on architecture and ideas of modernism. Her designs embody design freedom, where the appearance of the building is prioritized, followed by structure, lighting, heating, drainage systems, and many other functional elements of buildings (Sebastian, 2018). Thus, Zaha Hadid perceived building design as an art compatible with human emotional experiences and feelings. Her installations have become famous for their unusual design, aesthetics, and denial of architectural rules and conditions.
Structure System
Daxing International Airport is constructed in the shape of a starfish. The complex is a large-scale building with a central core, from which six arms diverge in different directions. The design concept is based on traditional Chinese architecture, where all other premises are located around the central courtyard. The structure of the Airport is presented in the form of six curved branches, which are connected in the center by a common node. Thanks to the shape of the six-pointed star, passengers can quickly reach the desired zone, namely departure, transfer, and arrival.
Complex technological solutions were used in the construction of the Airport. Damping elements built into the steel base of the Airport create a layer to absorb and compensate for vibrations from aircraft taking off and rushing trains at great speed. Daxing Airport’s construction has an innovative structure of C-pillars. Huihui (2020) suggests that the structure of the building has many advantages, such as flexibility of space, energy-saving measures, and interior design. It is essential to add that ten C-shaped pillars support the terminal’s steel structure roof. According to Huihui (2020), this C-pillar concept was developed and proposed by Zaha Hadid’s office during the design phase of Daxing International Airport. Zaha Hadid named the idea C-pillars because the plane of the pillar is not closed but rather C-shaped, as shown in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1. C-pillar
Additionally, the C-shaped pillars of the Airport are wide at the top, exactly about 23 meters, and narrow at the bottom, only 3 meters. Thus, smooth lines connect the 49m roof to the ground and pass through the rear pillars from top to bottom. The International Airport is definitely a piece of architectural art that surprises visitors with its vaulted ceilings, flowing shapes, and natural light.
Lighting System
The structure of Daxing International Airport is designed with lighting in mind. Thus, the C-pillar is not only a structure and unique design but also a channel for introducing natural light into the Airport. The dedicated smart lighting system is another design solution that uses natural light to save energy by eliminating the need to turn on artificial lights at specific times.
Initially, the Airport’s terminal was designed with 8 C-pillars, but as a result of in-depth design, the architects found out that there was insufficient daylight in the reception area. Therefore, there was a conflict between the structure and lighting systems, which was resolved by adding two more pillars on the east and west sides to enhance the daylight illumination. These added structures were designed not only to improve “the lighting of the check-in hall but also allow natural lighting to directly reach the luggage extraction hall on the second floor through the atrium” (Huihui, 2020, p. 2). Artificial lighting, organically integrated into the architecture and combined with natural light through the ceiling light openings in the ceilings, plays a significant role in the complex measures that ensure a high comfort level.
Notably, flexible lighting is a full-fledged green component of airport infrastructure. Huihui (2020) describes that the tops of the C-pillars are bubble-shaped skylights. For instance, Figure 2 illustrates the skylights on the roof of the Daxing International Airport. Thus, the C-pillars provide sunlight from skylights during the day. Skylights give building visitors a sense of transparency and openness, creating a comfortable interior atmosphere.
Figure 2. The skylights are on the roof
Furthermore, thanks to these light channels, the airport terminal practically does not need artificial daylight since the light coming from the channels is enough for the interior. Huihui (2020) emphasized that the skylights and structural elements that are the perfect combination of the artistry of architecture and airport functionality. Natural light from the C-pillars saves energy consumption in the building and improves the psychological comfort of passengers. Huihui (2020, p. 5) indicates that “the distribution of skylights matches the spatial layout of the terminal building and the flow of passengers.” Moreover, the lightning system helps passengers to find directions easily.
The Airport’s lighting provides a high level of comfort and human orientation. Also, the double-layer insulating glass of the roof windows has a built-in darkening circuit (Huihui, 2020). Zhou et al. (2020) note that the Airport has the largest roof area in the world. Architects and engineers designed an innovative sunshade that includes metal mesh between glass panes and turns sixty percent of the natural direct light to diffuse light (Zhou et al., 2020). Thus, the terminal has good heat insulation and avoids direct sunlight.
The total energy consumption of a building is related to daylight and thermal performance. Huihui (2020) indicates that skylights improve light uniformity in deep areas of an airport by allowing natural light to enter the building. Consequently, this design contributes to low lighting energy consumption and saves air conditioning energy.
Rainwater and Sewage System
China faces crucial environmental problems such as flooding, water pollution, and shortage. In addition, the Chinese government encourages water environment protection through extensive water resource management (Guo and Wang, 2018). Significantly, Beijing has a severe water shortage issue; thus, the sewage and rainwater should be recycled and used as a renewable resource for the eco-friendly Airport (Guo and Wang, 2018). Guo and Wang (2018) state that the Beijing Daxing International Airport is located next to the Tiantang River in the North and the Yongding River in the South. Therefore, the development of safe operation between mentioned rivers, and the Airport is crucial. The architects and designers of Beijing Daxing International Airport developed a particular system that collects and re-treats sewage and rainwater.
Rainwater and sewage systems focus on the collection, storage, and filtration of rainwater for on-site reuse. Peng et al. (2020) emphasize the importance of rainwater systems in China because the number of waterlogged cities is growing. Therefore, the sponge city concept was introduced to reduce waterlogging (Hu et al., 2018). Therefore, many modern constructions in China have a rainwater system construction that works like a sponge, namely absorbs, filters, and stores rainwater (Peng et al., 2020). Guo and Wang (2018) suggest that the sponge airport system’s fundamental goals include “total runoff volume, runoff pollution, drainage and waterlogging, stormwater resource management, and water environment protection according to the objectives of drainage, flood prevention, and sponge airport construction” (p. 5). Guo and Wang (2018) also describe the concept of a sponge airport as construction that includes various land types, such as the construction area itself, lakes, rivers, and roads. Consequently, considering the construction area, it is vital to combine the systems, such as drainage, water, and vertical planning.
Bejing Daxing International Airport is an excellent example of a building with a sponge rainwater system with digital management. The system is used for the natural treatment of up to 2.8 million cubic meters of rainwater (Design Build Network). In addition, the rainwater system includes ponds, canals, and irrigated fields and also directs the water towards streams and lakes.
Accordingly, the rainwater system collects rainwater and uses it for fire control, flushing toilets, greening, and other means of reusing. Peng et al. (2020) suggest that low-impact development (LID) facilities are crucial for constructing and designing a building. Hence, LID facilities’ functions include collecting rainwater, filtrating, and reusing other systems. In addition, LID facilities make buildings like sponges, which refers to the good construction elasticity and environmental adjustment, especially in critical situations like rainstorms. The LID facilities of the sponge airport include “biological retention, grass planted ditch, rainwater bucket, permeable pavement, concave green space” (Peng et al., 2020, p. 385). The emphasis on protecting the environment when constructing buildings is a responsibility to maintain a suitable living environment. Thus, the intelligent use of the LID facilities with specially designed systems is an economical solution to help preserve the environment.
Heating and Cooling System
The heating and cooling system is developed following the latest technologies. Bejing Daxing International Airport is solar-powered and has a centralized heating system with waste heat recovery, backed by a geothermal heat pump (Ravenscroft, 2019). Zhou et al. (2020) also acknowledge that the Airport has ground-source heat pumps and solar photovoltaics. The building has solar panels with a total capacity of at least ten megawatts (Design Build Network). The facility includes a single integrated heating and cooling system based on modern “green technologies” and aims to decrease energy consumption and carbon emissions.
Significantly, a combined ground source heat pump system maintains heating, including waste heat recovery. Sony et al. (2021) suggest that GSHPS relates to renewable energy technologies and has been used in China for building heating and cooling systems. For instance, Beijing Daxing International Airport is equipped with a ground-source heat pump (GSHP) system, which extracts shallow geothermal energy, saves natural gas, and reduces carbon emissions (Xinxua, 2019). Therefore, the Airport uses the highest proportion of renewable energy, namely twelve percent of total energy demand, compared to any airport in China (Zhou et al., 2020). In addition, the heating and rainwater circulation systems are connected. As mentioned above, the Airport has implemented a rainwater circulation system that includes systems for collecting, accumulating, and distributing rainwater, thus protecting the airport area from floods and overheating.
Beijing Daxing International Airport has the most extensive GSHP system in China because it includes two heating stations with a building area of approximately 17,000 square meters. A ground-coupled heat pump (GCHP) system utilizes shallow soil as the heat source or heat sink (Song et al., 2021). Consequently, it consists of a combination of borehole heat exchangers and heat pump units buried in the ground. According to Song et al. (2021, p. 1), “it is called ‘closed-loop,’ also known as closed-loop GSHP or soil source heat pump.” The process of water or antifreeze solution circulation releases the indoor heat to the soil in summer, while in winter, the circulation absorbs the heat from the ground. In addition, Sony et al. (2021) illustrate the buried pipes of the system, as shown in Figure 3. Hence, the authors explain that “the total length of buried pipes is 10,680 m, and the buried area is 267,000 square meters; the heating and cooling capacities of the system are 54.2 MW and 48.8 MW, respectively” (p. 7). The detailed diagram of the piping system and heating stations’ location is demonstrated below.
Figure 3. Buried pipe layout area
The Airport’s air-conditioning system is environmentally eco-friendly and resource-efficient because it utilizes geothermal resources to enable indoor cooling and heating. In addition, the ventilation, heating, and air-conditioning are connected to the same ground-source heat pump system (Zhou et al., 2020). Therefore, the system is energy-saving; it conserves approximately twenty million m3 of natural gas per year (Zhou et al., 2020). Beijing is known for its rapidly changing weather and looming smog. That is why the designers of the Airport, according to Heating and Ventilating Review (2019), included air curtains in the project. The air curtains provide a comfortable environment inside the building and prevent the entry of polluted air and insects into the complex’s interior.
Conclusion
It is essential to add that the Airport reflects its time, includes elements of society’s material and spiritual culture, and synthesizes the results and means of the latest technologies, art, culture, production, and consumption. Thus, during the construction, designers considered Chinese traditions and cultural aesthetics. Beijing’s new Airport meets the highest environmental standards through the implementation of rainwater harvesting, natural lighting, ventilation, and other technologies that save energy and are built for the environment. The Airport uses digital systems and the latest technology, which demonstrates progress and emphasizes modernism.
Versatile design training has enabled architects to accomplish a wide range of professional tasks. The Airport was designed with research and design in mind for a comfortable, harmonious, and safe built environment and its components. Hence, natural, social, economic, and engineering factors were taken into account in the design. For example, an airport is a green building that uses recycled energy and reduces carbon dioxide emissions. The lighting system was designed with the building structure in mind, as the C-pillars with bubble windows at the top let in a tremendous amount of daylight, which helps to reduce energy consumption.
Lighting systems, power supply, heating, sewerage, ventilation, and water supply provide the necessary comfort of the building. Thus, all systems are interconnected since the structure of the building ensures the trouble-free operation of various methods. The development and design of the building took four years and included rigorous calculations, taking into account the architectural features of the planned Airport. Therefore, qualified architects and engineers developed building systems during the design phase.
Conflicts have arisen; however, they have been resolved. For example, 8 C-pillars of the structure were planned in the beginning, but this was not enough to ensure adequate lighting. Moreover, the architects and interior designers developed and added two more C-pillars. It is essential to say that the environmental issue is fundamental in Beijing, so all systems have been integrated into buildings with ecological concerns in mind. Moreover, the Airport is equipped with solar panels and has a centralized heating system. Thus, the building is heated by an efficient ground source heat pump system that extracts geothermal energy and saves natural gas. The architects also developed a unique rainwater collection and treatment system for subsequent use.
Designing complex buildings like Beijing Daxing International Airport is a time-consuming but interesting process. The main goal of architects, designers, and engineers is to create a harmonious union of the internal space of the structure and its external appearance. Design is the most crucial stage in building construction and is necessary for calculating construction calculations, planning systems, choosing materials, setting deadlines for construction, and clarifying requirements.
At the design stage, the future building’s structure is laid, and the frame for all subsequent stages of construction is developed. Furthermore, engineering drawings, diagrams, and calculations, such as consecration, heating, and water treatment systems, help realize the planned construction’s architectural design. As a result of the architects’ and designers’ efforts, the idea is transformed into the future building’s graphic design. The interior designer, in turn, deals with the spatial arrangement and planning to improve the conditions of the building. For example, the responsibilities of an interior designer include the entire internal design process, from building planning, lighting, ventilation, heating, acoustics, wall decoration, and ending the choice of furniture and textile design.
Conclusion
To conclude, an interior designer should be an engineer because it is vital to consider the structural features and calculate what and in what quantity materials will be required for construction and how to integrate the systems. Consequently, the interior designer, like the architect involved in the development of a building construction project and its exterior, should have engineering knowledge and be able to design interiors, taking into consideration the technical characteristics of the building.
References
Abyzov, V., & Kysil, S. (2020). XXIst century interior design. Środowisko Mieszkaniowe, 30, 82-89. Web.
Doyle, S. (2019). The measure of Beijing Daxing international airport. Engineering & Technology, 14(11/12), 90-91.
Guo, K., & Wang, L. (2018). On the water environment system in water sensitive areas—the building of sponge airport stormwater system in Beijing New Airport. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science,146(1), 1-10.
Heating and Ventilating Review. (2019). New Beijing Airport is the biggest to have VTS air curtains and heating units. Heating and Ventilating. Web.
Huihui, L. (2020). The advantages of C-pillars in the large space of the terminal: A case study of Beijng Daxing international airport terminal. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 780 (6), 1-12.
Mizuno, T., & Tokuda, K. (2019). Current situation and issues regarding the accessibility of Beijing Daxing International Airport-Beijing Daxing International Airport opened in September 2019. International Journal of Engineering Research and Technology, 13(4), 768-782.
Ravenscroft, T. (2019). Zaha Hadid Architects’ giant starfish-shaped airport opens in Beijing. Dezeen.com. Web.
Sebastian, S., Ravishankar K. R., & Samir al Qeisi (2018). The design approach of Zaha Hadid: Form, vocabularies and Design Techniques. Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research, 5(6), p. 495-503.
Zhou, M., Zhuang, H., & Fang, S. (2020). Innovations at Beijing Daxing International: The world’s biggest airport terminal. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Civil Engineering, 1–20.
Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan is one of the largest airports in the world located on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay. The airport serves over 13 million international passengers in one year and it handles over 100,000 flights in one year. The airport is managed by the Kansai International Airport Company which was established in 1994 to oversee the construction and maintenance of the airport.
The total amount used to construct the airport amounted to 15 billion dollars because of the various technicalities that had to be considered when constructing an international airport on an artificial island. The airport’s main designer was world-renowned architectural designer Renzo Piano from Genoa, Italy whose architectural design was viewed to be both transformational and unique (Mahwhinney 2001).
The concept of building an airport in the Kansai region of Osaka emerged when the area began losing a lot of its trade business to Tokyo and Yokohama. The planners in Kansai proposed the introduction of a new airport that would boost the trade levels in the region thereby improving the economy of Kansai. This idea was supported by the Japanese government and many investors as Osaka International Airport could not be expanded any further given that the location where it was based was densely populated.
The construction of Kansai Airport was also supported by a majority of the public as well as foreign investors who saw the airport as a gateway to improving the economic development of Osaka and Kansai. Because the residents of Kobe rejected the idea of having an airport built within their city, the investors of the project opted to build Kansai Airport on an artificial or manmade island that was located in the southern parts of Osaka (Dempsey 2000).
Architectural Design of the Airport
As identified in the introductory part of this essay, the main designer of Kansai International Airport was Renzo Piano who first visited the manmade island on a boat. He gained his inspiration when designing the airport’s terminal from the wings of a plane where the terminal’s corridors would resemble the stretched wings of an airplane. The whole design for the main building stretched out nearly 700 meters from either side of the main building which made the terminal to be the longest in the world.
While Piano had confidence in his design, several challenges presented themselves such as whether the project was feasible and buildable given that it was going to be constructed on an artificial island in a region of Japan that was prone to many earthquakes and typhoons (Edwards 2005). The picture below represents the boarding lobby at Kansai International Airport which has been noted to be the longest in the world.
The piano was however able to design a piece of architecture that would withstand any natural calamities and it proved to be feasible as well as buildable on the artificial island. His conviction that the project was feasible was further supported by the confidence various investors such as the European Union had in him when they awarded him the commission for building the airport. However, there was the challenge of getting approval for the construction of the airport from the Japanese government because the Japanese fire codes could not allow a building that large to be built on an artificial island. Piano and the rest of his design team had the challenge of basing their work on principles by minimizing the length and weight of materials that would be used in constructing the airport terminal and runways (Edwards 2005).
Various aspects had to be taken into consideration during the design engineering process of the Kansai main terminal building. These aspects included the practicality of the building where the amount of human traffic that a terminal could handle in a given day had to be considered, the economical cost that would be incurred for purchasing earthquake-resistant construction materials, and the technical knowhow that would be required to construct an earthquake-resistant airport on an artificial island.
The piano was able to take all these aspects into consideration which enabled him to create a building that had shifting joints that would provide much-needed support during an earthquake or typhoon. While considering the operational aspect of the terminal he also incorporated aesthetic aspects when he added an elegant and flowing design to the main terminal. Piano’s design was created on the belief that the building had to reflect the movement of passengers from land to the air and vice versa by offering a visual connection that would link the two aspects. This belief drove the use of transparent glass panes that would offer passengers a glimpse of the runway and the surrounding regions of Osaka and Kansai (Edwards 2005).
Piano also gained inspiration for the terminal’s design from the concept of flow where he created an internal environment that would be controlled by a single micro-climate to reduce the roof load. This was viewed to be one of the many safety precautions taken while designing the terminal to ensure that it was resistant to high magnitude earthquakes. The design team opted to install sculptural air supply nozzles that would supply air against the curved ceiling of the airport’s main terminal.
These sculptural air nozzles would circulate the air 80 meters within the terminal thereby creating a micro-climate for the various areas and sections within the main terminal. The use of these air supply nozzles was meant to make air conditioning indiscernible to the passengers, giving the airport a more natural and outdoors feel (Fairweather 2004). The diagram below represents a diagrammatic representation of the shape of the airport terminal’s roof which is determined by the flow of air within the terminal.
The huge wing-like structures of the airport terminal were designed to support the movement of international and domestic passengers to and from the airport’s departure and arrival gates. These structures would also be able to accommodate 41 airplane bays and passenger moving systems such as trolleys within the airport terminal. Piano wanted to incorporate a geometrical design for the terminal’s wings to provide a sightline for the control tower for the many planes that were taking off and landing in the airport. This explains why the wing-like structure was designed in a down and away from fashion from the main terminal of the airport (Fairweather 2004). The diagram below depicts a model of Piano’s wing-like design for Kansai Airport’s terminal
Design Theories and Concepts
The architecture according to various design theories is the art that embodies the knowledge of space and form to create functional building designs. It is also defined as the theoretical framework that is used to support the design of a piece of architecture or building. There are various design theories and concepts that are currently in use to explain the meaning of architecture in the construction world and also the meaning of architectural styles and movements. The theories that are commonly used to explain architectural designs include modernist design theories, postmodernism design theories, and contemporary theories of architecture.
The modernist design theory of architecture was first introduced during the early 20th century by works such as the Unite d’ Habitation which is found in Marseilles, France. The architectural design of modernist designs was mostly based on designing buildings that were spacious and had structures such as floors, walls, windows that incorporated the use of space. This theory involved designing a building in a simplistic format devoid of any decorations or ornaments to frame it in a natural world context while at the same time incorporating the contemporary contexts of architecture. Such a combination made the theory to be referred to as machine versus nature because it incorporated these contexts within its design (Salingaros and Mehaffy 2006).
The postmodernist theory of architecture on the other hand was introduced during the 1970s and it integrated the heavy use of ornamental, sculptural and decorative elements into the buildings. The theory had some elements of the modernist design theories but these were heavily influenced by decorative and inadvertent angular designs. As the theory advanced to a more modernist view, the buildings incorporated more sculptural designs which were a demonstration of the new lines of movement in the architectural world. The postmodernist theory evolved to incorporate more sculptural designs and ornaments which were evident in works such as the Guggenheim Museum in Spain.
The contemporary theory of architecture which was introduced during the last 20 years involved the use of conceptual thought processes and insights to create architectural designs that were both contemporary and modern. The contemporary theory of architecture is rooted in post-modernist design principles which mostly comprised of architectural designs that had ornaments and decorations. These three design theories of architecture have continued to evolve over the past decade, an aspect which can be attributed to the level of the discussion held amongst the various theorists, architects, and designers on the effectiveness of a building’s design (Hays 2000).
These design theories are subject to change based on the general reaction to a particular architectural design. These reactions are used to signal the evolving nature of design theories when it comes to architecture as newer and more elegant pieces of architecture continue to emerge around the world. The application of design theories into real architectural design is usually done on the aesthetic and practical aspects of the design. Hays (2000) uses an example of the straight lines and limited decorations that exist in today’s modern buildings to represent the modernist theory of architecture. The spacious appearance and the floor plan of many of the buildings around the world reflect the theory of modernism in architectural designs.
About Kansai International Airport, the design theory that has been incorporated into the architecture is the modernist design theory. This is mostly attributed to the fact that the terminal building and the concourse corridor are made up of space and structural elements such as glass panes and extended floor plans which have added a touch of modernism to the building’s design. The lack of ornamental structures and decorations also means that the design of the building prescribes the modernist design theory.
Piano prescribed to the creation of a building that would have both aesthetic and practical characteristics. The use of curvaceous forms and two-dimensional geometry was meant to reduce the ecological impacts the architecture of the terminal would have on its surrounding environment. Piano focused more on creating a structure that had more natural imagery rather than ornamental designs and sculptures to capitalize on the modernist theory of design.
According to Edwards (2005), the use of space and light as the natural imagery and decoration of the airport was meant to infuse a tectonic experience in the architectural design of the main terminal. The use of structural elements such as columns, beams, lantern lights, and sculptural air ducts was meant to reflect the modernist view and theoretical application of modernism design theory.
Another aspect that demonstrated Piano and his designers incorporated modernist theories was the use of animated key routes throughout the airport terminal where different forms of structural elements were incorporated at every zone to demonstrate the use of hierarchical levels. The design plan for the main terminal incorporated the use of rationalistic structural thinking and also professional clarity which was vital in creating a building that would portray the modern view. Piano’s creation of the axis of movement in the concourse was meant to signify the various stages of the international passenger’s journey which was at times interrupted by the public concourse, otherwise known as the canyon (footbridges used in the airport) which was present at the landside part of the terminal (Kuiper 2010).
Built Form and Typological Characteristics
Edwards (2005) in his evaluation of the structural design of the airport noted that the terminal offered a sense of direction to the more than 25 million passengers who used the airport in a year. This, according to him, was mostly attributed to the orderly nature of the design plan created by Piano and also how the various spaces within the airport had been developed in their own unique and distinctive way.
For example, Edwards noted that the public canyon within the terminal had been designed in a solid and earthy way to represent the natural qualities of the terminal. While the colors used in the canyon represented traditionally or postmodernist architecture, the departures lounge and the airside wing of the terminal represented lightweight aeronautical overtones and expressionist technology which was a general indicator of modernist design theories (Edwards 2005).
The clarity that existed in the airport was mostly derived from the undulating roof and glass-paned walls which reflected the importance of accommodation within the airport’s terminal. The wave-like profile of the roof provided a certain form of symbolism as it distinguished itself from the traditional patterns of separating the domestic and international flights within airports. The geometry of the roof as well as the four different floor levels within the terminal have ensured that the single building handles all flights in the airport whether domestic or international without resorting to any separation or divisions within the airport.
Piano’s design for the terminal placed a lot of emphasis on the creation of a public concourse that would minimize the level of confusion that might have arisen through the use of a single multifunctional terminal (Edwards 2005).
The public concourse, also known as the canyon was designed as a four-story street that would be used by passengers as a crossing to the departure and arrival lounges within the KXI terminal. The canyon at the third level of the terminal was meant to serve international passengers who were departing from the airport while the first-floor crossing bridges were designed for passengers arriving on domestic flights. The ground-level canyons were designed for international arrivals which were a perfect structural design as they enabled the passengers to experience the magnificence of the airport’s space immediately after they landed.
The main idea behind Piano’s design of the canyon was to create a sense of direction and movement within the airport as well as giving passengers a sense of belonging within an airport terminal thereby going against the general perception of terminals which is that of placelessness (Bachman 2003).
The general design of the departures lounge was wider and more rounded when compared to that of the canyon or public discourse which was mostly rectangular and vertical in structure. The lighting in the departures lounge was mostly from the curved windows which offered a view to the runway while that of the canyon came from the lights fitted on the roof of the terminal. The general ambiance in the departures lounge was private and reserved when compared to that of the main terminal as passengers prepared to depart from the airport which was mostly demonstrated by the spacious design of the waiting lounges (Edwards 2005).
The geometrical roof design was primarily determined by the line of sight that was needed by the control tower to spot airplanes when they were landing or taking off. The type of geometry that was used to develop the roof was toroidal geometry which involved placing a rotating two-dimensional object on a circle that was inclined to create a structural design that was curved. The toroidal geometrical design of the terminal’s roof was able to save the investors of the project a lot of money as it enabled the construction team to standardize all components of the ceiling and the roof so that they could form a repetitive pattern throughout the entire length of the building. This saw the shape of the terminal’s roof resembling an airfoil which would enhance the circulation of air within the building (Fairweather 2004).
The lighting used in the terminal was mostly reliant on daylight because of the transparent glass panes installed on the walls that made up the terminal. The use of natural lighting within the terminal ensured that the airport had a low energy requirement which would be maximized for nighttime operations. This was meant to allow the flow of natural light into the terminal to prevent the need of using electricity or other sources of illumination such as solar power within the airport. The use of crystal clear glass in the elevators and the various spaces in the main terminal was meant to provide passengers with a natural and elegant environment where the passengers could be able to see the runways and plane stands (Edwards 2005).
Piano designed the air ducts in the airport to also act as light-reflecting panels that would further enhance the experience of the passenger and also reduce the roof load of the main terminal. At the far side of the departures lounge, the huge glass wall offered passengers a view of the airport stands and also to the runway. Passengers could be able to view planes landing and taking off as they waited for their flights in the departures section of the airport (Fairweather 2004).
The topological characteristics that made this piece of architecture important were the scale, complexity, engineering prowess, and technological expertise that was used to create the building. All this combined with the fact that the airport was built on an artificial island made this marvel of architecture receive worldwide recognition. When considering the typological characteristics of the building, Piano envisioned a structure that would be easy to use and navigate for the many passengers that would use the airport and its facilities daily (Fairweather 2004).
Evaluation of the Scheme and Public Reactions
Kansai International Airport which was opened in 1994, was a structure designed to display the emergence of a new generation of airport architecture in the world. The actual construction of the airport began in 1987 with the construction of the main terminal commencing in the year 1991. Piano’s design was brought to life by thousands of workers who brought the paper design of the terminal to life. This was after various adjustments to the manmade island had been done to ensure that it could withstand earthquakes, hurricanes, and typhoons which were common in Japan (Fairweather 2004).
The result of Piano’s vision was a four-story building known as the KIX passenger terminal which extended over a whole length of 300 meters from the main terminal building of the airport. This was described by many architects and structural designers to be the longest airport terminal in the whole world. The two distinct experiences that passengers had in the airport were the canyon or public discourse and the departures lounge. This was mostly attributed to the fact that they did not resemble the conventional structures used by many airports around the world. The canyon and the departures lounge offered the millions of passengers to the airport with an undeniable experience where architectural design integrated natural aspects to create elegance and eccentricity (Edwards 2005).
To prevent the whole airport from collapsing due to seismic activities in the Pacific, the structural engineers from Arup as well as seismic experts from the Japanese government were incorporated into the project so that they could find a way of preventing the manmade island from sinking. The team proposed the use of a jack-up system that would raise and lower the individual column piles holding the island so that it would be able to handle billions of tonnes of weight from both the airplanes as well as the thousands of passengers that use the airport daily (Fairweather 2004).
After the construction of the airport was complete, seismic building regulators from the Japanese government checked to ensure that it had met all the requirements for building construction in Japan after which it was opened for operations.
During its first year, the airport experienced a major earthquake in January 1995 with a magnitude of 7.2 on the Ritcher scale. This was seen to be a major test for both the jack-up system supporting the island and the sliding joints used to prevent the terminal from collapsing. These two features were to prevent the artificial island and the terminal building from collapsing or sinking as a result of the earthquake. The main building was able to survive the earthquake without any form of destruction and the glass windows and ceiling remained intact during the whole duration of the earthquake (Fairweather 2004).
Three years later after the Kobe earthquake, the Osaka region faced another natural calamity this time in the form of a typhoon. The airport and its buildings were able to survive the typhoon which had violent wind speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour. Its durability and stamina demonstrated that the design scheme used to construct the airport was reliable and relevant to the typological characteristics of the Kansai area. It is now a decade since the airport was opened up to the public and the major reaction from the general public is that Piano’s design has proven to be a success both aesthetically and also operationally. The simple elegant design of the airport compliments the movement of passengers throughout the entire airport (Fairweather 2004).
With regards to public reaction, various passengers commented on the structural design and architecture of Kansai Airport. One passenger commented that the terminal building was beautifully designed and it never appeared to be crowded even when it was full of international passengers. Another passenger who was gauged on their reaction to the airport’s general design commented that it had a light airiness which was possible because of the sculptural air duct systems installed within the airport. Many passengers appreciated the practicality of the airport as it enhanced the smooth flow of passenger traffic from the airport while others noted that it had a full proof structure that would cushion them from any natural calamities as witnessed in 1995 and 1998 (Fairweather 2004).
Conclusion
This discussion has focused on the architectural design of the Kansai International Airport and the designer of the airport, Kenzo Piano by assessing his architectural ideas for one of the world’s largest airports. The research made an in-depth analysis of the various concepts and ideas that were used in designing the airport as well as the inspiration behind the design of Kansai Airport. The research also looked at the various design theories that are used in creating pieces of architecture and which scheme of design the Kansai Airport prescribed. The built form of the airport as well as the typological characteristics that had to be considered when designing the airport were also examined in depth during the discussion.
The final section involved evaluating the durability and practicality of the airport so far where it was ascertained that the airport and its terminal buildings were able to withstand earthquakes and typhoons which are a common occurrence in Japan. In summary, the Kansai International Airport is a piece of modern architecture that has embodied all aspects of elegance and practicality. Kansai Airport is a work of marvel created by one of the greatest architectural designers in the world, Kenzo Piano.
References
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