My internship at ZFP took flight with a challenging project: designing a one-of-a-kind air traffic control tower for a new Saudi Arabian airport. The flat desert landscape demanded a tower that was both visually striking and flawlessly functional, with clear 360-degree visibility and height limitations.
Ditching the usual boxy design, we went bold with a mesmerizing, spiraling structure. This not only made the tower stand out but also guaranteed optimal visibility from any angle. To speed up design optimization and explore countless possibilities, we used a super-flexible parametric modeling approach. This allowed us to test a ton of variations, really pushing the limits of what a tower could be, both beautiful and useful. The final design is a testament to creative thinking – a spiraling tower that not only excels at air traffic control but also radiates elegance and innovation, becoming a symbol of progress and a landmark on the Al Qassim skyline.