A bit of speculation is essential when we consider the future of airports. Trends and demographic shifts may help forecast the future of air travel and infrastructure. If change is constant on all are fronts, what are the critical considerations when projecting future scenarios? How will architecture adapt to transformations in the aviation industry and the culture of global travel over the next century? - - - - - Aerial Futures is organized by PLANE—SITE (http://www.plane-site.com) Founding member: Fentress Architects (http://www.fentressarchitects.com) - - - - - In coordination with the 15th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, AERIAL FUTURES, GROUNDED VISIONS: Shaping the Airport Terminal of Tomorrow was a two-day symposium that took place from October 17th to 19th, 2016. The symposium brought together diverse voices in a discussion about the future of air travel, as seen through the lenses of architecture, design, technology, culture and user experience. Airports and the aviation industry are at the frontline of global demographic shifts, acting as economic engines and cultural icons. Despite being among the youngest of building typologies, airports are taking the lead as intricately-designed, highly frequented and resource-intensive structures that define how we travel, trade and connect with each other. Sessions at the symposium incorporated presentations and roundtable discussions regarding various aspects of airpot design. Aerial Futures was organized around four main themes represented in the following panels: Fantastic Infrastructure: 21st Century Terminals, Icons and Engines: Catalysts for Urban Development, Getting to Departures: User Experience, and Landing in the World of Tomorrow. Participants included: Frank Barich, Barich Consulting Nelly Ben Hayoun, NBH Studios Miklos Deri, Drive Through Airport Lukas Feireiss, Studio Lukas Feireiss Curtis Fentress, Founder & Principal, Fentress Architects Anna Gasco, ETH Zurich / Future Cities Laboratory Max Hirsh, University of Hong Kong Christian Henriksen, Nordic Office for Architecture George Kafka, &beyond collective Agatha Kessler, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Jonathan Ledgard, The Droneport Project / EPFL Lausanne Tobias Nolte, Certain Measures Dr. Wayne Place, NC State University College of Design Ashok Raiji, Arup New York Andres F. Ramirez, PLANE—SITE Ostap Rudakevych, Clouds Architecture Office Sila Siva, Autoban Alex Sutton, Sevil Peach Architecture + Design Tom Theobald, Fentress Architects Andrew Vasey, Vasey Aviation Group Martin Zangerl, UNStudio

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