Rome, Italy
Giancarlo Zema and his team from the Italian firm Giancarlo Zema Design Group are partnering with China-based EHang Holdings Limited, makers of the world’s leading autonomous aerial vehicle (“AAV”) technology platform company, to extend air mobility solutions in the EU.
With EHang’s passenger-grade AAV technologies and air mobility solutions, the architects have designed and will build the first eco-sustainable vertiport in Italy, which will produce energy and recharge the drones wirelessly.
The first vertiports will integrate into nature: large technological trees on which splendid “birds” rest and feed to admire the large green parks and natural reserves from above.
The 30-meter-high Boabab vertiport uses green design, technology, and construction materials that can generate energy to recharge the EH216 passenger-grade AAVs.
Vertiports will play a significant role in the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market and the new era of flight.
When integrated into the existing transportation infrastructure, vertiports can serve as aerial hubs for tourists.
Inspired by the native African tree Baobab, Zema came up with the natural Baobab design: a 30-meter-high tower, with a steel and laminated wood structure, a waiting room, a café, a 200- square-meter panoramic restaurant and connecting lift.
The take off-and-landing platform will be set on the roof terrace.
On the roof terrace, there are green areas with seats and three landing areas for electric drones that are recharged wirelessly from the landing pad floor.
The vertiport is built with the latest generation non-slip photovoltaic panels that can generate over 300 KW of electric power per day.
The photovoltaic panels, produced by the English company Solapave, are integrated with LED lights for night lighting and signage.
The platform will have fully independent plug-and-play charging infrastructures that can be used to recharge EHang’s AAVs.
With the Baobab vertiport, EHang and Giancarlo Zema Design Group aim to enter the emerging global eco-tourism sector, with multiple projects being planned in Europe and Southeast Asia.
Architects: Giancarlo Zema Design Group (GZDG)
Consultants: Sarti Engineering + Solapave
Client: EHang Holdings Limited