Queen Alia International Airport

Image: Nigel Young / Foster + Partners

Location: Amman, Jordan

Another airport designed by Foster + Partners, the Queen Alia International Airport was inspired by the black flowing fabric of a Bedouin tent and references the Jordanian tradition of hospitality. It features a magnificent, tessellated concrete roof canopy that is comprised of a series of shallow domes, which extend to shade the façade.

Image: Nigel Young / Foster + Partners

The surface underneath each dome has been embossed to look like the surface of a leaf, as well as depicting a geometric pattern based on traditional Islamist forms. The terminal is glazed on all sides, allowing passengers’ views of their planes whist the roofs shade them from direct sunlight.