As part of an international competition to build the future control tower, the operating consortium IGA selected the sensational design submitted by AECOM and Pininfarina. 

The design of the tower combines aspects of the modern with traditional elements. The twisting form is based on a tulip, which has been the symbol of Istanbul for centuries. The gracefully curved, 96-meter high building, which will be visible to all passengers flying into or out of the new major airport, is also reminiscent of the forms used in aviation design.  

Just 35 kilometres from the centre of Istanbul on the European side of the city near the Black Sea, Istanbul New Airport is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the history of Turkey. When it opens in spring 2018, it will have an initial handling capacity of 90 million passengers per year. There are plans to expand the airport to six runways and three terminals. After it is completed, Istanbul New Airport will have an annual capacity of more than 200 million passengers and it will be one of the world's largest airports.  

Photo: Rendering of the Air Traffic Control Tower designed by AECOM and Pininfarina.