How Red Sea International Airport was designed to stay shaded in the desert: dune-like roofs and five independent pods

Let me explain

Foster + Partners designed Red Sea International Airport, inspired by the forms of the desert, the green oasis and the sea, to serve The Red Sea destination. It received its first flight, from Riyadh, in September 2023, according to Red Sea Global. The key idea: the roof is the shade. The dune-inspired roof shells cantilever on the landside and the airside to shade passengers, according to the Foster + Partners project page. The building is split into five departure pods arranged around the drop-off area. Each pod works as an independent mini terminal, so some can be closed in low demand to cut energy use. Inside is a green oasis with indigenous planting, with landscaped spaces between the pods. The airport runs on 100% renewable energy and achieved LEED Platinum as the first airport in the Kingdom, according to Red Sea Global. What it means for engineers: the shading comes from the roof form itself, and splitting the building into small units lets it operate only as much as needed. Which is smarter here: the roof that shades passengers or the pods that can be closed?