KANSAI International Airport K.I.A.C. (The Worlds First Off shore Airport).
Built in the waters of Osaka bay, Japan this is the worlds first ever off shore airport, the japanese recognised the need for an off shore airport due to serious environmental issues as early as 1968, when the search for an alternative to Itami airport was launched.
The main reasons being due to the density of Population around Itami and the need to balance serious environmental concerns, such as Aircraft Noise, Pollution and Twenty Four Hour operation.
Construction of the airport did not begin until 1987 and the airport was official opened in 1994.
The following images show how the airport was constructed, and it should be remembered that much of the Heavy engineering was carried out by British Engineers as well as some of the major design work. With major structural parts being made in the United Kingdom and shipped to Japan. In 1994/95 a two part documentary was shown on Channel Four television showing the complicated construction techniques used to build the airport.
Kansai is unique in its location but the principals and design philosophy prove the ability to build offshore airports, the Japanese recognised that to be able to meet the demands for future airport capacity a solution had to be found, that would not mean massive land take; like the United Kingdom construction of new runways in the South East will require vast tracks of land, and the ultimate destruction of communities and the environment.
With Kansai the problem was addressed and solved by creating more land away from the populated areas that suffered interminable Air and Noise pollution.
Kansai also solved a very serious problem for future expansion in Japan it is capable of further expansion beyond its three runway island, in an environmentally sustainable manner.
An off shore airport for the United Kingdom would do just the same, any suggestion that it would not is simply pie in the sky, thinking.
It is clear that what this country needs is an off shore environmentally sustainable airport, if and only if the somewhat dubious forecasts, are proven then the solution is clear, if the Japanese with foresight recognised the seriousness of the issues surrounding; inland airport expansion then it is time for the United Kingdom to do likewise.
IMPORTANT NOTE : Kansai is suffering from serious settlement issues, due to the depth of water and the underlying geophysical features of Osaka bay the island continues to settle and is suffering from serious monetary overspends. Many thanks to Float Inc for the information.
It should be noted that the Geophysical features in the Thames Estaury are totally different from those of Osaka Bay, and the project for an off shore airport for the Thames Estaury is totally different in many respects, and no comparison in this respect should be draw or inferred.
The following images are© of the Kansai International Airport Company Limited and are reproduced with there kind permission.Please note: We did seek permission to use these images and that at all times they belong to K.I.A.C, with whom we are extremely grateful and deeply indebted.
Image 1. Kansai International terminal complex. Image 1
Image 2. Aerial image of Kansai international showing further expansion to three runway island. Image 2
Image 3. Image taken from Osaka bay showing sailing vessel moored alongside Airport Island. Image 3
Italian Architect Renzo Piano has placed on his web site some of the detailed design drawings for Kansai to access this web site please click on this link (please note if you use IE5 you will have to download a CAD plugin. Renzo Piano
Page Updated 23rd January 2003
