Istanbul New Airport Debuts with Tulip-Inspired Control Tower by Pininfarina and AECOM

Three years in the making, Istanbul New Airport was finally inaugurated last month. With construction on a 19,000-acre aerotropolis of office buildings, hotels, mosques, and medical and conference centers expected to continue until 2028, the centerpiece so far is the 295-foot-tall air control tower by firms Pininfarina and AECOM. Aerospace and automotive design are expected inspirations, but the tulip, an important cultural reference in Turkish history, is a surprise. In this interpretation, it appears to be blowing in the wind.