This design proposal, submitted by a group of Architecture students from North South University, was for a competition launched by Fentress  Architects. The aim was to propose a concept for an airport of the year 2100.  A list of major airports was given for redesign along with some key points to work on such as heritage-inspired, sustainability, and supportive technology. For this project, Indira Gandhi International Airport was selected, and a radical design was proposed. Out of over 100 entries from 15 countries across the world, this proposal got shortlisted to the top 20.

For centuries infrastructures have been designed and build according to the needs of its users. As a result, the growing urbanization has left landscapes more into the grey rather than the natural green belts. Airports are becoming one of the major integral parts of the infrastructure which will lead the future transportation and communications, where it takes a noticeable footprint of the city.

In search of sustainability, the proposal for the infrastructures is to behave and interact with the ecosystem, by not putting up resistance to the flow of nature but going on with it. The main objective of designing the Indira Gandhi International Airport is to create a self-growing airport that will not only adapt and transform with seasons but also adapt to the anticipating climate change.

Inspired by the historical reference of Ajanta Temples, the airport is to be built underground which reduces heat gain as well as adds green space to the city. The building mass is arranged parallel to the runway and a sunken open plaza where the smart tram carrying out the passengers. This will keep the airport operational when a high passenger rate appears. Meanwhile, the Al (artificial intelligence) based smart tram will carry out all the airport’s official formalities paperless, which will save time and also keeping the passenger movement smooth. Hence the proposed airport architecture will contribute to restore and balance the city’s eco-diversity as well as improve passenger’s experience.