REVEALED: Florence's new airport to feature rooftop vineyard
Florence’s Amerigo Vespucci airport – the gateway to Tuscany’s world-famous wine country – may soon be getting an unusual upgrade under plans for a new international terminal.
Under plans recently unveiled by US studio Rafael Viñoly Architects, the hub’s new 538,195 square-foot international terminal is set to include a 19-acre, 38-row rooftop vineyard in what will be a nod to one of the region’s most prestigious exports.
According to the group, the vineyard will be managed and harvested by one of Tuscany's leading vintners, with the wine crafted and aged in cellars located under the terminal's roof.
Besides the vineyard, the plans also feature the construction of a new light rail system that’s intended to speed up the journey to and from the airport as well as the creation of a central ‘piazza’ – a large public space providing room for retail venues and streamlining circulation within the hub.
From a technical standpoint, one of the project’s major features consists of lengthening and reorienting the current airport runway 90 degrees away from the nearby hills, which currently limit the ability of modern aircraft to operate.
Planned new departures lounge at Florence's Amerigo Vespucci Airport. Photo by Rafael Rafael Viñoly Architects
As the project is still in the planning stage, it’s unclear exactly when work will start.
READ ALSO: Florence’s Vasari Corridor to reopen in May after renovation work
Under the latest plans, the project is set to be completed in two separate phases, with phase one expected to be completed in 2026 and phase two in 2035.
Once finished, the terminal is expected to see nearly six million international passengers pass through it every year.
The completed hub will be a “landmark representing Florence's sustainable future and cultural heritage” according to Rafael Viñoly Architects.
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Under plans recently unveiled by US studio Rafael Viñoly Architects, the hub’s new 538,195 square-foot international terminal is set to include a 19-acre, 38-row rooftop vineyard in what will be a nod to one of the region’s most prestigious exports.
According to the group, the vineyard will be managed and harvested by one of Tuscany's leading vintners, with the wine crafted and aged in cellars located under the terminal's roof.
Besides the vineyard, the plans also feature the construction of a new light rail system that’s intended to speed up the journey to and from the airport as well as the creation of a central ‘piazza’ – a large public space providing room for retail venues and streamlining circulation within the hub.
From a technical standpoint, one of the project’s major features consists of lengthening and reorienting the current airport runway 90 degrees away from the nearby hills, which currently limit the ability of modern aircraft to operate.
As the project is still in the planning stage, it’s unclear exactly when work will start.
READ ALSO: Florence’s Vasari Corridor to reopen in May after renovation work
Under the latest plans, the project is set to be completed in two separate phases, with phase one expected to be completed in 2026 and phase two in 2035.
Once finished, the terminal is expected to see nearly six million international passengers pass through it every year.
The completed hub will be a “landmark representing Florence's sustainable future and cultural heritage” according to Rafael Viñoly Architects.
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