flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

Heathrow Airport could become a city of 190,000 inhabitants

Heathrow Airport could become a city of 190,000 inhabitants

These plans will only be explored further if a new airport is built along the Thames Estuary.


By BD+C Staff | July 23, 2014

New plans have been introduced to turn London's Heathrow Airport into a mid-sized city. If those plans ever come to fruition, "Heathrow City" would support some 90,000 jobs and 190,000 people, according to Business Insider. It could also add as much as $13 billion to the U.K. economy.

Three proposals have been put forward for the ambitious plan, which include a factory for customizable homes, civic centers, and a "medieval" city center. 

These plans will only be explored further if a new airport is built along the Thames Estuary. There are plans for that, too, but it's still uncertain if they'll ever come to fruition. The U.K.'s Airports Commission will decide on the Thames airport plan in September. 

 
 
 
 

Proposal 1: Hawkins/Brown

 
Renderings courtesy of Business Insider & Hawkins/Brown
 

Hawkins/Brown's idea for Heathrow City include the U.K.'s first airship port, a factory for customizable homes to fill housing demands in the area, and a large park on the airport's former runways, called the Green Belt.

 
 
 

Proposal 2: Maccreanor Lavington

Renderings courtesy of Maccreanor Lavington
 

This plan involves a technology campus, a civic center, a retail hub, and Heathrow's Terminal 2, as well as rehabilitating the airport's grounds and planting trees.

 
 
 

Proposal 3: Rick Mather Architects 

Renderings courtesy of Rick Mather Architects
 

In this third proposal, former runways would divide the city into different sections based on specializations like education and leisure. It also calls for a medieval city made of existing and new buildings.

Tags

Related Stories

AEC Tech | Nov 12, 2020

The Weekly show: Nvidia's Omniverse, AI for construction scheduling, COVID-19 signage

BD+C editors speak with experts from ALICE Technologies, Build Group, Hastings Architecture, Nvidia, and Woods Bagot on the November 12 episode of "The Weekly." The episode is available for viewing on demand.

Airports | Oct 6, 2020

Airport of the Future global student design competition 2020 winners announced

Winning projects reimagine airport mobility in the year 2100 for one of the 20 busiest airports in the world.

Airports | Sep 18, 2020

Infection control measures for airport terminals

More automation and scanning, of people and baggage, will help unclog airports. 

Airports | Sep 18, 2020

Wings clipped, airports veer to tech to regain passenger trust

Alternative project delivery methods are also being considered.

Airports | Sep 10, 2020

The Weekly show: Curtis Fentress, FAIA, on airport design, and how P3s are keeping university projects alive

The September 10 episode of BD+C's "The Weekly" is available for viewing on demand.

Giants 400 | Aug 28, 2020

2020 Giants 400 Report: Ranking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms

The 2020 Giants 400 Report features more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.

Airports | Jul 28, 2020

CallisonRTKL to design one of the world’s first net-zero airports

Guadalajara Airport Terminal 2 will be designed from the ground up.

Coronavirus | Jul 20, 2020

Student housing amid the pandemic, infection control in buildings, and future airport design on "The Weekly"

Experts from Core Spaces, Bala Consulting Engineers, and Populous were interviewed in the July 23 streaming program from Horizon TV.

Airports | Jun 24, 2020

LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B officially opens

HOK and WSP USA designed the project.

Airports | Feb 7, 2020

A 780-ft-long pedestrian walkway is positioned over an active taxi lane at Sea-Tac International

It took eight years to plan, design, and construct this bridge.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category




halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021