INCREDIBLY LOUD

Airports serve as the central link connecting nations and continents. Their role does not stem from proximity to geographical borders, but from their location at the heart of local activity—and from the human ability to make colossal machines rise above the ground. To fulfill this purpose, Ben-Gurion Airport—like many others—also generates significant environmental disturbances: it creates a massive physical barrier in the center of the Tel Aviv metropolitan area and imposes numerous planning constraints. The most extensive and impactful of these stem from aircraft noise, which diminishes the quality of life for residents of Israel’s densest metropolitan region. Consequently, the airport’s surroundings function as a neglected “backyard” rather than as a symbol of innovation, ambition, and quality of life, as befits the space adjacent to the country’s “gateway.”

The aim of this project is to transform environmental challenges into opportunities by harnessing development restrictions—preserving unique open spaces—for public benefit. In the airport’s vicinity, a new dialogue with aircraft noise is created: on the one hand, areas of quiet are cultivated; on the other, noise is sharpened and amplified. To address site-specific conditions, vegetation and water management are designed to avoid attracting bird species hazardous to aviation by planting that provides neither food, cover, nor nesting, and by detaining runoff underground only. These measures are complemented by landform modifications, acoustic masking with water, and the development of elements that influence sound movement. Together, they form a powerful experience of noise and flight—a sensory celebration of humanity’s capacity to touch the skies.