foster + partners submit thames proposal to airport commission

foster + partners submit final thames proposal to airport commission
all images courtesy of foster + partners

now with mayor boris johnson’s support, foster + partners has submitted its final proposal for the ‘thames transportation hub’ to the london airport commission. realizing the city’s need for increased transportation, better international connections for trade and travel, and environmental protection at the thames barrier, the architecture firm has spent the last five years working with halcrow (international) and volterra (UK) to develop a multi-modal center to address these issues. complementing a new seaport, the design places a 4-runway airport along the thames estuary; its location chosen for the possibility for future expansion. these airstrips would restore nine domestic routes, and quadruple the number of destinations to asia and the americas, now only directly accessible from continental europe, servicing an estimated 110 million passengers per year in the first phase. the locus also integrates high speed rail connections to boost the east end’s economy, and provide connectivity to main stations such as st. pancras, and the rest of britain. with expanded rail and flight connections, the UK’s global supply chains would be reinforced, securing the country’s economic position for the future. eventually replacing heathrow airport, the well-connected land in the west end can then be redeveloped to meet the city’s need of 100,000 upgraded homes, or accommodate its growing technology sector.

for more information, see designboom’s past coverage of the thames hub vision here and here.

the new transportation hub connects london and britain to the world by land and air

a flood barrier and tunnel for the thames crossing

national rail connections to the hub will allow greater trade and business export, increasing britain’s economic influence

(left): the project’s location along the thames allows for uninhibited future expansion
(right): the thames hub promotes and supports london’s eastward growth

1/7