Location: worldwide
Project: Vertiports
Client: Volocopter GmbH
Competition: 2018, First Prize, GRAFT Brandlab, GRAFT Architects and Arup
The German air taxi company Volocopter developed the first fully electronic vertical take-off vehicle that flies autonomously and is accordingly ideally suited for use in urban areas. Together with GRAFT and Arup, the Berlin agency GRAFT Brandlab won the design competition for a modular vertiport concept.
The interior design concept of the Volo-Ports combines lounge, security and departure areas with a hydraulic landing platform that makes it possible to board the Volocopters sheltered from the weather. The result is a flowing space that carefully orchestrates the passengers’ experience and contributes to promoting acceptance of three-dimensional passenger transport. The air taxis depart from the roof of the Volo-Port or from a landing platform off to one side, depending on the specific situation.
The modular Volo-Ports make it possible to seamlessly integrate this new form of passenger transport into existing urban infrastructure. Possible implementation scenarios include railway stations, airports and unused roof surfaces as well as floating Volo-Ports mounted on pontoons, utilising the free air corridors over rivers and other water surfaces. With these new Volo-Ports, as they are called, Volocopter has made an important step towards a new form of urban mobility that is airborne and based on electric energy.
