InterContinental Space station

For someone born in 2050, reusable ‘space’ planes will be a day-to-day reality. In the field of travel, humankind has continuously redefined their means of transport. The recent success of reusable rocket technology opens a Utopian realm of imagination for us designers. With the announcement of SpaceX to develop a transport system that uses rockets for intercontinental travel, we must assume the task of designing a spaceport for it. How would the travel experience, for example from London to Los Angeles in 40 mins or for any-other intercontinental locations need to be catered within the spaceport structure?

InterContinental spaceport is my attempt to breakdown this experience with the available knowledge along with foreseen future developments of various technologies and sustainable alternatives. As a result, the design approach has been based on the advancement in Artificial Intelligence, Advanced Biometrics & Clean energy and their sustainable service to the Human race. The building also aims towards negative carbon footprint and for this, The use of hydrogen fuel extracted using electrolysis meets the need of both the rocket vessels as well as the building. 

Passengers boarding a space rocket.

Fueling and rocket maintenance facility

An imagined future where airports will be redundant 

Future Roadmap of possible worlds within the solar system

Due to the extreme engineering complexities involved in the deployment of a space rocket, an array of architectural and design solutions were required.  For interior spaces, a prototypical approach that allows design and technology to be shared by all the ports has been undertaken. I have tried to project the different necessary processes to ensure safe and secure travel in spaceplane. This includes the introduction of biometric body scan for check-in, self-scan booths with the utmost level of security, zones for changing into protective space suits and vertical silo servicing for the rockets. The structural strategy of using the weaved ceiling as a supporting arch for the columns has been employed to ensure a stable open-plan structure. Using reinforced pile structure for foundation on both ground level as well as for floating part of the structure.

Entrance design

Testing the structural strength of the weave 

Detail of column connection

Masterplan 

Section and Elevation

Interior Section

Intercontinental Space’port’ attempts to showcase a design approach towards this future technology that aims to redefine our travel in the latter half of the century. Whilst portraying a future that harnesses the balance of all possible sectors that should shape a new travel experience, This design research has been aimed to solve all those complicated science fiction problems using an evolved design language for a mass space transit station based on Earth. 
 

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