Mindfulness has become one of the most popular concepts in the welfare world-today there are hotels, spas and classes dedicated to this practice. But Bhutan is going far beyond : The country is building an entire city aimed at mindfulness.
The city of Gelephu, in southern Bhutan, near the border with India, has been chosen to host this ambitious project, although few details have been released so far.
This has recently changed. The Bjarke Ingels Group architecture office has revealed the design of the Future Gelephu Airport giving the more concrete view so far about the city and its goals.
The images show a series of diamond -shaped wooden structures, all modular, allowing the airport to be easily expanded or updated.
Airports are usually stressful places – Long lines, lost connections, lost luggage. But how can an airport incorporate the concept of mindfulness?
For Bjarke Ingels, the answer lies in the use of natural elements in design and Philosophy of the Crude Internal Happiness Buton which measures the well-being of the population as part of the quality of life.
“An airport is the first and the last impression of a place,” said Ingels.
“The project is composed of modular solid wood structures, which ensure flexibility and expansion. From afar, the set resembles a stylized mountain range… ”.
He continues: “All pieces of wood are sculpted and painted according to traditional handcrafted techniques, adorned with three types of dragons that represent the past, the present and the future of the Bhutan. The result is a fusion between tradition and innovation.”
Just like the country, The airport will be carbon-negative according to its creators, and will have solar panels on the roof for power generation.
Gelephu International Airport will have 68,000 square meters, Capacity for 123 daily flights and you can receive up to 1.3 million passengers per year.
Although this number seems small compared to giants like Heathrow, London, or JFK, in New York, is significant for Bhutan, a country without access to the sea that received only 316 thousand tourists In 2019.
Currently, all international flights arrive at Paro Airport (PBH), near the capital, Thimpu. However, the challenging geography of the region – surrounded by Himalayan mountains, with strong winds and no light on the track – limits operations to a few short -distance flights from Asian cities such as New Delhi and Bangkok.
Gelephu already has a small domestic airport, but was chosen as headquarters of the new International Airport for its flatter geography, allowing longer clues for larger aircraft.
In addition, its proximity to India – Bhutan’s main commercial and diplomatic partner – makes Gelephu a strategic point for future rail and road connections.
The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, is the main mentor of the Gelephu Mindfulness City project.
“This airport is critical for Gelephu to become a business center, and is a crucial point for Bhutan National Security, a dead country,” said the monarch.
Butão, with about 750 thousand inhabitants, is a pioneer in the concept of tourism of “high value and low impact”. To visit the country, Foreigners need to pay a daily rate of $ 100 (R $ 574) intended to finance public services such as health and education.
There is no official opening date for Gelephu International Airport.
The Post Bhuto should win airport and operate over 120 flights per day Appeared First on CNN Brazil V&G.
Source: CNN Brasil
Johanna Foster is an expert opinion writer with over 7 years of experience. She has a reputation for delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles on a variety of subjects. Her work can be found on some of the top online news websites, and she is currently lending her voice to the world stock market.
