A new terminal is being built at Amerigo Vespucci Airport in Florence. Interestingly, its roof will feature a full-scale vineyard. The green space is intended to blend the building into the Tuscan landscape and highlight the region’s significance in the global wine industry. The concept, designed by Rafael Viñoly’s studio, was created to change the way we think about transport-related buildings, shifting the focus from purely functional structures to more complex relationships with the surroundings and the environment.
The new terminal in Florence
The most striking feature of the entire project is the extensive vineyard covering an area of approximately 7.7 hectares, stretching across the gently sloping roof of the building. Plans are in place to plant 38 parallel rows of vines there, which will create an orderly rhythm visible from the air, whilst also serving a practical purpose. The cultivation is not merely symbolic, linked to the centuries-old tradition of wine production in this region of Italy. The grapes will be harvested and processed on site, in specially designed cellars located beneath the roof.
Design by Rafael Viñoly’s studio
The new terminal has been designed to handle over 5.9 million passengers a year. The functional layout of the building is based on a simple, clear composition, in which the arrivals and departures zones are situated opposite each other, on either side of a vast space resembling an urban piazza. This layout significantly aids orientation. From the entrance level, escalators lead up to a higher platform housing passport control, a shopping area and dining facilities. Beyond this, the space transitions into the departures hall, offering views of the runway and the surrounding hills.
Roof vineyard at Florence Amerigo Vespucci International Airport
The roof structure has been designed to meet the requirements of viticulture and interior lighting. Strips of land where the vines grow are separated by longitudinal skylights that bring natural light into the terminal space. Each strip is several metres wide and several hundred metres long, creating a distinctive pattern on the roof surface, familiar in the Tuscan landscape. The building’s design allows for the maintenance of the soil layer and irrigation systems, whilst retaining flexibility in the interior layout. The green roof also contributes to the building’s energy balance by improving its thermal insulation.
New terminal with a green roof
The design by Rafael Viñoly Architects incorporates an extensive public transport system, including a light rail line that will provide a seamless connection between the airport, the city and the wider region. The runway has also been rebuilt. Its orientation has been changed by 90 degrees and it has been extended, allowing for the handling of larger aircraft and improving the safety of flight operations in the challenging terrain. The entire project has been designed with high environmental standards in mind, as evidenced by the aim to achieve LEED Platinum certification.
Design: Rafael Viñoly Architects
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