Very few of the parts that make up an airport are as recognisable as the control tower. In some cases it has even become a symbol, not only of the airport, but of the surrounding area too. It is also one of the first architectural elements identified by the passenger as the flight arrives in a city, and to a certain extent, it offers a unique welcome.
Years ago, when the first airfields were built, the control tower was simply a high point from which the aircraft traffic could be directed and controlled. In fact, the first airport to establish a system of air traffic control, in Croydon, London, didn’t even have a building for this purpose. It was the airport in San Luis, in the USA, which a few years later took advantage of a new radio tower to establish a specific high point for observation and control.
With the passage of time and, above all, with the application of architectural aesthetics to airports, these towers have continued to play this role but have also become icons.
There is an –unofficial- competition for the most striking control tower, because of its height, its appearance, its functionality, the use of unusual materials or for other criteria. The most important thing is to stand out among all other airports.
In this infographic we have gathered and ordered the eight tallest control towers in the world, all of them are over 100 metres high. As a curious piece of trivia, one of the airports alone, in Kuala Lumpur, has two control towers which are the first and third tallest –truly rising to the challenge. We also present other control towers that are unusual or famous for a variety of reasons.
Next time you visit an airport, look out for the control tower –you will see it in a new light. No doubt about it.
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Source: Produced internally.
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