MISC | Aerotropolis (Airport Cities)

[fieldsofdreams]

Note: this topic is in line with my original "Creating Your Cities" series that focuses on sustainable urban and suburban development.

Here's one thing so many people tend to consider about airports: can a community be sustainable when it is built around a heavily-trafficked structure like an airport? I understand that engine noise issues, as well as pollution emitted from departing and arriving aircraft, and the constant danger of low-flying aircraft over businesses, factories, and homes, are among reasons why airports are a huge NIMBY (not in my backyard) in many, many communities. But, with metropolitan areas becoming overcrowded because of immigration from rural areas and from other countries, is it possible to build a city or community that can benefit from an airport that surrounds the area? To describe what I mean, I will take an excerpt from a book entitled "Aerotropolis: The Way We'll Live Next" by John Kasarda and Greg Lindsay:

The aerotropolis represents the logic of globalization made flesh in cities. Whether we consider it to be good or simply inevitable, the global village holds these truths to be self-evident: that customers on the far side of the world may matter more than those next door; that costs must continually be wrung from every piece of every business in a market-share war of all against all; that the pace of business, and of life, will always move faster and cover more ground; and that we must pledge our allegiance if we want our iPhones, Amazon orders, fatty tuna, Lipitor, and Valentine's Day roses at our doors tomorrow morning. If the airport is the mechanism making all of these things possible, Kasarda reasons, then everything else -- our factories, homes, schools -- will be built accordingly. The aerotropolis, he promises, will be a new kind of city, one native to our era of instant gratification -- call it the Instant Age.

So, with that thought in mind, I would like to ask you three questions:

• Is Aerotropolis a way to the future of urban and suburban planning? Why or why not?
• The poll question: If you believe that John Kasarda's vision comes true in the near future, what would you like to build around the airport city, or in this case, the Aerotropolis? Alternatively, if you don't believe or are against the Aerotropolis vision, what would you rather like to envision or develop around the airport?
• Can the Aerotropolis be a sustainable way to develop cities and metropolitan areas?

As always, SSC rules and regulations apply. If you have any questions or concerns with this question, let me know via here or PM. I hope you'll enjoy this brand new discussion!

[NTprime]

The concept started with airport hotels. And then, this will expand further and further. I would like to ask those from Olongapo and Angeles, how much business have the former US bases contributed in terms of growth? Let's say, if these two bases were not there, would Angeles and Olongapo grown to what they are right now?

The same goes with places which have a major institution (could be a university, resource heavy industry, etc.) which is built in any area where there is not much local talent to serve its needs. For instance, if the new PAL airport were to built in Bulacan, do you think there are enough locals who will be able to fill all the airport related jobs? Of course, the answer is NO. And since there is a lack of talent at the local level, people migrate or move closer to their place of work, thus creating a boom in real estate for the surrounding area. A good example are the call centers - especially the ones in Ayala Avenue. In the 90s, Ayala Avenue was a ghost town at night and until morning, with hardly any fastfood or 24 hour restaurant along the stretch. Move forward to the present and you can easily count at least half a dozen Jollibees or McDonald's from Ayala corner EDSA to Buendia. The aerotropolis will also grow in a similar fashion.

It should be sustainable to some extent, but do not limit your scope to the airport only infrastructure, but all the other infrastructure that is there to support or complement the airport.

[Taller, Better]

An excellent idea, FOD!

[fieldsofdreams]

Originally Posted by Taller, Better

An excellent idea, FOD!

So TB, tell me what you'd like to see in an Aerotropolis or Airport City, like around Pearson International.

[NTprime]

What you can add to this thread are some considerations like,

1) Is the aerotropolis location going to be completely built from the ground up, will it level existing residential structures, or encroach on agricultural lands, will hills and mountains be leveled and bored with tunnels, respectively, or will land be reclaimed from the sea or a nearby lake?

2) Is the aerotropolis going to be built as a complement to an airport that has reached its capacity, or as a complete replacement, or to spur growth and development into a free-port zone type setup?

3) What would your definition of an aerotropolis be? A small village, a medium sized town of a few thousand people, or a small city complete with everything else you see in a city?

These are just a few of the questions I can think of, I am sure I have others else in mind but it is best to ask in sets of three

[fieldsofdreams]

That is exactly my idea indeed. I am opening up all doors for you to envision what you'd like to see because it can apply to various scenarios. For example: I am thinking of building an Aerotropolis from the ground up, and possibly every week, I will ask a related question that will allow users to discuss what they believe would be a good solution to work out an issue or develop ideas that will complement an existing solution.

Here's how I envision my own Aerotropolis, built using SimCity. Yes, I've created all these...












Don't be fooled: that community has around 50,000 people with a large international airport serving a region of over 600,000 inhabitants.

[NTprime]

Originally Posted by fieldsofdreams

That is exactly my idea indeed. I am opening up all doors for you to envision what you'd like to see because it can apply to various scenarios. For example: I am thinking of building an Aerotropolis from the ground up, and possibly every week, I will ask a related question that will allow users to discuss what they believe would be a good solution to work out an issue or develop ideas that will complement an existing solution.

Here's how I envision my own Aerotropolis, built using SimCity. Yes, I've created all these...








Don't be fooled: that community has around 50,000 people with a large international airport serving a region of over 600,000 inhabitants.

One thing I noticed right away - the narrowbodies are parked too close to the widebodies in the central satellite building. You will end up with a lot of clipped wings if they are positioned that close.

Too many right angles make for very sharp turns. Another potential for wing-clipping, not to mention slower ground movement.

Perhaps you can have more diagonals here?

[fieldsofdreams]

Yeah, I haven't tried doing diagonals yet since it takes up more space. Plus, the configuration could change significantly, which might result in a drastic reduction of gates. Perhaps I could study a proper distancing of gates for both narrow- and wide-bodies, as well as expanding my terminal design repertoire.

[thesmartboy]

Nice idea fieldsofdreams!Like the maps.Would it be possible to put one in NAIA?

[fieldsofdreams]

For NAIA, it would mean a lot of demolitions, re-zoning, and making more open spaces to make the Aerotropolis concept possible. Plus, the key question is this: how will you address the residential slums surrounding the airport? Will you move them to public housing by creating them first before destroying their homes? How will they get jobs and create new livelihoods for their families? It is a delicate balancing act that requires government, private sector, and NGO interventions... It's priorities that matter in creating a successful Aerotropolis.

What would be your idea to start with?

[NTprime]

Originally Posted by fieldsofdreams

For NAIA, it would mean a lot of demolitions, re-zoning, and making more open spaces to make the Aerotropolis concept possible. Plus, the key question is this: how will you address the residential slums surrounding the airport? Will you move them to public housing by creating them first before destroying their homes? How will they get jobs and create new livelihoods for their families? It is a delicate balancing act that requires government, private sector, and NGO interventions... It's priorities that matter in creating a successful Aerotropolis.

What would be your idea to start with?

Slums, in any part of the world, are a bane to any airport. The possibility of criminals or terrorists making this their safe haven is dangerous, period. Thus the best way to deal with slums is to completely rid them of everyone who does not legitimately own land there (or if any does own land legitimately, buy it from them), raze illegal structures to the ground and start development with proper zoning. That would be a dream for urban planners like you.

[fieldsofdreams]

that is ultimately a city planner's dream indeed. But the storyline runs like this: if you were to remove all the slums from locating close to an airport, where will you relocate them, and what zones can be developed around the airport?

[NTprime]

Originally Posted by fieldsofdreams

that is ultimately a city planner's dream indeed. But the storyline runs like this: if you were to remove all the slums from locating close to an airport, where will you relocate them, and what zones can be developed around the airport?

Areas along the takeoff and approach path of the airport should not have any slums whatsoever, period. These areas should also have minimal areas for birds to inhabit, for obvious reasons of risks associated with bird strikes.

While it will be nice to have greenery around airports, you will still attract animal life. As long as the animals are not disruptive to the operations of the airport (and vice-versa), they can coexist provided risks are mitigated. Airports built on reclaimed land are good examples, they prominently stick out when viewed from the air or Google maps.

One of the first things we need right near an airport is a transportation hub. Usually that would be road infrastructure coupled with rail/subway/HSR, etc. If the airport is located in a country prone to hurricanes, typhoons, monsoon rains, blizzards and the like, it should have the capability to evacuate before the weather disturbance strikes. Likewise, if it is near the city which is prone to such weather disturbances, it should allow for fast movement outward so we don't get disruptions similar to what Hurricane Sandy brought for millions of people.

Speaking of Hurricane Sandy, one of the casualties was power generation and distribution. So an airport should have some eco-friendly, independent steady power source (solar, wind turbines at a distance, etc.) so that it can operate on its own if the need arises.

And population densities should be lower near an airport. So out go your slums, preferably as far as possible (or non-existent at all).

[fieldsofdreams]

Hmm, quite a lot to digest, but I believe in your concept as well because I really want to see sustainable development around airports over time. It seems like the Aerotropolis can lift off in time if there are enough investors, as well as government help, that will make it possible. Plus a transportation hub would be a must at any airport since it needs links to get people to and from the airport as quickly and efficiently as possible.

And by the way, do you think that a basic Aerotropolis structure can be modeled from any one of these maps:



That is a preview by the way of my upcoming poll thread about alternative town planning.

[thesmartboy]

For NAIA, it would mean a lot of demolitions, re-zoning, and making more open spaces to make the Aerotropolis concept possible. Plus, the key question is this: how will you address the residential slums surrounding the airport? Will you move them to public housing by creating them first before destroying their homes? How will they get jobs and create new livelihoods for their families? It is a delicate balancing act that requires government, private sector, and NGO interventions... It's priorities that matter in creating a successful Aerotropolis.

Errrrrr...I know.

[fieldsofdreams]

Probably it takes much more than rezoning them. How about political will for a start?