Inspired by the native African Baobab tree, Giancarlo Zema Design Group has designed an Eco-Vertiport. The baobab tree is known as the “Tree of Life” and display unusually tall, barrel-shaped trunks. Take a look at how the designers used the form of this unusual tree to create a stunning example of green design.
With the predicted growth in urban air mobility, a new era of greener flight is ready to take off. These Eco-Vertiports could serve as tourist hubs that are integrated into existing transport networks.
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The nature-inspired vertiport for EHang, the autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) manufacturer, will feature sustainable design and ecological construction materials. The project will be constructed in Italy, and the 30-meter-tall tower will be built from steel and laminated wood. On top, a waiting room, a café and a 200-square-meter panoramic restaurant can be accessed via the connecting lift. Vehicles will take off and land from a platform on the roof terrace.
The striking wooden structure will also generate enough energy to recharge Ehang’s passenger-grade, self-driving aircraft, the EH216. Non-slip photovoltaic panels, built by the English company Solapave, cover the structure and can generate an excess of 300 kilowatts of solar electric power per day. The platform will have fully independent plug-and-play charging infrastructures that can be used to recharge EHang’s AAVs.
With this vertiport project, EHang and Giancarlo Zema Design Group could positively disrupt the emerging global eco-tourism sector, with multiple projects being planned for Europe and Southeast Asia. In November 2020, the EHang 216 two-seater, passenger-grade AAV completed its maiden flight in Korea.
EHang is a leading provider of AAV products for various industries, including passenger transportation, logistics, smart city management and aerial media solutions. Giancarlo Zema Design Group is based in Rome and specializes in smart, sustainable projects, semi-submerged architectural structures, floating habitats, yachts and interior design.
Images via Giancarlo Zema Design Group
