On July 6, 2018 an agreement was signed between Virgin Galactic and two other Italian companies: Italy will also have its spaceport, or the port of spacecraft to fly in space. The agreement was taken between Sitael’s CEO Nicola Zaccheo, Altec CEO Vincenzo Giorgio and Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides. The spaceport will replace the Taranto Grottaglie airport. The question is: how will the new space port building be? This is the example of the Norman Foster spaceport, opened in 2014 but which has not yet hosted space travel for individuals. It is located in an area of ​​the desert and was intended to revive the local economy (in fact there is still no space traffic).

THE PROJECT:

As described by Foster + Partners, it is the first building dedicated to this kind of activity. From the space resumes the shape of the Virgin Galactic logo, in the shape of an eye. It is designed for the minimum impact on the environment. The organic form of the airport seems to come out of the landscape. There is a careful balance between accessibility and privacy. The areas and spaces of the astronauts are completely integrated with the rest of the building, while the most sensitive areas are visible. From the confines of New Mexico, the low form is dug into the landscape, the natural light is maximized with the daylight of the skylights. The structure is sustainable and compatible with the environment.