Speaker Biograghy: Max Hirsh (PhD, Harvard) is a Professor at the University of Hong Kong and a leading expert on airports, migration and transport infrastructure. He is the author of Airport Urbanism: an unprecedented study of air travel and global migration patterns that incorporates the perspectives of passengers, airport designers, urban planners and aviation executives. With a particular focus on the rise of Asia, the book sheds light on the exponential increase in global air travel and its implications for the planning, design and operation of airports. Passionate about airports and air travel, Max works with airport authorities, design firms and urban planning agencies around the world to help shape the future of airports and the cities that they serve.


Day 2 - 15 March
Session: Airport Cities, Transport Connections & Tourism

11:25 - 11:55 - Airport urbanism: moving beyond the aerotropolis model
Synopsis: When it comes to designing airports, the aerotropolis is one of the most influential development models out there. Yet among airport planners, it’s an open secret that the aerotropolis concept – which looks great on paper – actually doesn’t work very well in practice. This presentation focuses on how we can build on the strengths of the aerotropolis idea, move beyond its shortcomings and update it for the demands of the 21st-century airport. Drawing on research conducted at more than 50 airports worldwide, it then introduces a new people-focused and customer-facing development model called Airport Urbanism, or AU for short.

Audience will learn:

• New approaches to airport-area development
• Insights into changing passenger demographics and their implications for the planning and design of airports and airport areas
• New approaches to non-aviation revenue sources
• Engaging local stakeholders: win-win models for regional development