Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) has signed an agreement with Hyperloop Italia to jointly design its next phase of works that marks a turning point for the future of transport

Hyperloop transports passengers at very high speed safely, economically and sustainably. Using passive magnetic levitation technology powered entirely by renewables, Hyperloop propels passenger and cargo capsules through low-pressure tubes to minimise friction, requiring only a fraction of the energy needed to power traditional modes of public transport.

Combining energy from renewable sources with regenerative braking systems makes Hyperloop’s infrastructure capable of producing more energy than it consumes. The climate-controlled passenger capsules travel in sealed tubes and remain unaffected by external conditions.

ZHA’s partnership with Hyperloop Italia continues the architectural firm’s three decades of experience delivering acclaimed civic and cultural buildings such as the MAXXI Museum in Rome and the London 2012 Olympic Aquatics Centre. ZHA has also built award-winning transportation infrastructure across the globe including the Hungerburg Nordpark mountain railway in Austria, Napoli-Afragola high-speed railway station, Beijing Daxing International Airport, and KAFD interchange station of the new Riyadh metro system, in addition to the landmark Sheikh Zayed Bridge in Abu Dhabi and the Danjiang Bridge currently under construction near Taipei.

Patrik Schumacher, Principal of ZHA, said: “We are looking forward to collaborating with Hyperloop Italia; marrying transformative architecture, engineering and urban planning with the most efficient and sustainable transport network to significantly improve accessibility, connectivity, and well-being in our cities. We share Hyperloop Italia’s multidisciplinary approach which combines innovations in design and operational technologies with advances in ecologically sound materials and construction practices; enabling us to deliver future-resilient projects that are spatially inventive, structurally efficient and environmentally sustainable.”

Bibop Gresta, founder and CEO of Hyperloop Italia as well as co-founder of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HyperloopTT), stated: “This agreement marks another step forward for Hyperloop Italia and the development of the fourth industrial revolution. It confirms the success of the Hyperloop Partnership Program launched last month by Hyperloop Italia to attract the world’s best talent in developing Hyperloop technologies. We are certain that Zaha Hadid Architects is the right partner to allow Hyperloop Italia to promote design excellence in architecture. Their decades of global experience in civic and transport infrastructure will be essential to ensure that Hyperloop Italia’s transport hubs are intuitive to navigate, sustainable and fully integrated within their urban contexts. We are committed to building the most accessible, convenient and safest transportation system in the world using the new generation of environmentally friendly materials with a high recycled content.”