Woods Bagot releases report into future of airport design

Woods Bagot, a leading global architecture and design practice, has recently published a report into airport design and the future implications of global travel.

The report, called WARP Speed: Mach 1, covers a range of topics that will influence the way that airports are designed in the future including technology, efficiency, passenger numbers and collaboration. The report seeks to understand the near to medium term trends that are shaping the design of airports so that we can all build the IATA vision of “sufficient and efficient” infrastructure in a sustainable and future proofed way.

By 2050 it has been estimated that 16 billion passengers will fly every year along with 400 million tonnes of freight. The implications are immense and this first stage report attempts to highlight and tackle some of the core issues.

The report was compiled by a team of senior experts and identifies emerging trends in the aviation industry that will be critical to the future success of airports. It focuses on airports as well as their tenants – airline carriers, retailers and concessionaires.

In the report introduction they say, 'Woods Bagot’s WARP Speed: Mach I is the first in a series of research investigations that identify emerging trends in the aviation industry that will be critical to the future success of airports. From wild science fiction to grounded realities, WARP Speed: Mach I makes forecasts by exploring the various wants, needs and aspirations of airports and their tenants. Most importantly, WARP Speed: Mach I recognizes that change – fast change – is the only constant in the aviation industry.

Throughout WARP Speed: Mach I, we are taken on an exploration of the often-tenuous relationship that exists between airports and the airline carriers, retailers and concessionaires with which they sh
are both dependence and competition.'

This is an important insight into the issues facing the aviation industry in the coming decades and makes interesting reading.

You can download the full report here: