Rooftop vineyard for Florence airport

Aircraft coming in to land at the Amerigo Vespucci airport in Florence routinely skim the wine-producing region’s vineyards.

Now they will come closer still, according to Rafael Viñoly Architects’ recently-revealed plans for the new air terminal which include a 19-acre (7.7-hectare) vineyard on the airport roof.

“The vineyard will be cultivated and harvested by one of the region’s leading vintners,” the New York-based architects said. “The wine will be crafted and aged on-site in specialised cellars below the area where the ground begins to slope up to become the terminal’s roof.”

The vineyard is also intended to camouflage the airport building when seen from the Dome of Florence cathedral and the city’s other famous vantage points,  eventually becoming a landmark in its own right that represents the city’s sustainable future, Rafael Viñoly Architects explained.

“It will be a symbol of the traditions, history and innovative spirit that continue to drive the Italian economy into the 21st Century,” added the architectural studio which designed the 20, Fenchurch Street building in London which has been nicknamed the “walkie-talkie.”

The new 50,000-square metre airport, capable of handling more than 5.9 million international passengers annually, will provide several transport options, including a new light railway system linking the airport to Florence and the Tuscany region.

From a technical point of view the project will re-position the existing runway, which is now too short and adversely affected by nearby hills which affect the operability of many ultra-modern aircraft.

Although neither Rafael Viñoly Architects nor the city authorities have revealed when work is due to start, the project will be completed in two separate phases.  The first should be completed by 2026 and the second in 2035.