London-based practice Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) has partnered with Hyperloop Italia to jointly design its next phase of works, marking a turning point for the future of public transport in Italy. After months of detailed evaluation, Hyperloop Italia plans to connect communities along the Italian peninsula with the fastest and most efficient transport technology available. The proposed route from Milan to the Malpensa Airport, for example, would see the travel time reduced from 43 minutes to just 10.
“We are looking forward to collaborating with Hyperloop Italia; marrying transformative architecture, engineering and urban planning with the most efficient and sustainable transport network to significantly improve accessibility, connectivity, and well-being in our cities,” says Patrik Schumacher, principal of ZHA.
Zaha Hadid Architects joins Hyperloop Italia / News highlights
- Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) has formalised an agreement with Hyperloop Italia to design the next phase of super-fast transport in Italy.
- After months of detailed evaluation, Hyperloop Italia plans to connect communities along the Italian peninsula with the fastest and most efficient transport technology available.
- The proposed route from Milan to the Malpensa Airport, for example, would see the journey time reduced from 43 minutes to just 10.
- “This agreement marks another step forward for Hyperloop Italia and the development of the fourth industrial revolution”, says Bibop Gresta, founder and CEO of Hyperloop Italia.
- The Hyperloop system was first proposed in 2012 by Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk.
“We share Hyperloop Italia’s multidisciplinary approach which combines innovations in design and operational technologies with advances in ecologically sound materials and construction practices, enabling us to deliver future-resilient projects that are spatially inventive, structurally efficient and environmentally sustainable,” Patrik adds.
First suggested in 2012 by Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, the Hyperloop system transports passengers at very high speed: safely, economically and sustainably. Using passive magnetic levitation technology – powered entirely by renewables – Hyperloop propels passenger and cargo capsules through low-pressure tubes. This minimises friction and requires only a fraction of the energy needed to power traditional modes of public transport.
“We are committed to building the most accessible, convenient and safest transportation system in the world using the new generation of environmentally friendly materials with a high recycled content,” says Bibop Gresta, founder and CEO of Hyperloop Italia as well as co-founder of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies.
Combining energy from renewable sources with regenerative braking systems makes Hyperloop’s infrastructure capable of producing more energy than it consumes, allowing the system to give back to the grid. The climate-controlled passenger capsules travel in sealed tubes and remain unaffected by external conditions.
ZHA’s partnership with Hyperloop Italia continues the architecture firm’s three decades of experience delivering civic and cultural buildings, such as the MAXXI Museum in Rome and the London 2012 Olympic Aquatics Centre.
The architecture firm has also designed award-winning transportation infrastructure across the globe, including the Hungerburg Nordpark mountain railway in Austria, Napoli-Afragola high-speed railway station, Beijing Daxing International Airport, and KAFD interchange station of the new Riyadh metro system. Not to mention the landmark Sheikh Zayed Bridge in Abu Dhabi and the Danjiang Bridge currently under construction near Taipei.
“This agreement marks another step forward for Hyperloop Italia and the development of the fourth industrial revolution”, says Bibop. “It confirms the success of the Hyperloop Partnership Program launched last month by Hyperloop Italia to attract the world’s best talent in developing Hyperloop technologies.”
“We are certain that Zaha Hadid Architects is the right partner to allow Hyperloop Italia to promote design excellence in architecture,” he concludes. “Their decades of global experience in civic and transport infrastructure will be essential to ensure that Hyperloop Italia’s transport hubs are intuitive to navigate, sustainable and fully integrated within their urban contexts.”
zaha-hadid.com; hyperloopitalia.com
This agreement marks another step forward for Hyperloop Italia and the development of the fourth industrial revolution.
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