FLYING WHALES: THE AIRSHIP OF THE FUTURE

Planning approval has been granted for our Helium Airship factory in Nouvelle Aquitaine, France.

This new production and test site for airships, including transfer routes and a take-off area, is led by our joint venture GAAMMA, a partnership between Goudchaux Architecte & Associés and Mamou-Mani Architects. In collaboration with Format Engineers and Terrel Group, we developed a computational approach to minimise environmental impact at every scale.

The project concerns the creation of a production and test site for airships, including transfer routes and a take-off area, and consists of several buildings. The conceptual approach is based on a method aimed at rationalising the entire project by limiting footprints, reducing the artificialisation of soils, controlling volumes and materials, reducing covered areas, integrating rainwater catchment, and optimising natural and manufacturable resources. The volume is rationalised through studies using genetic algorithms, enabling the development of a form most suited to the site’s typology and ensuring gentle environmental integration.

The main buildings constitute the large Final Assembly Line (FAL) (approx. L240 x W80 x H60m), including:

• Final Assembly Halls (FAH) – 2
• Sub Assembly Hall (SAH) – 1

Annex buildings include tertiary spaces (offices, meeting rooms, training centre, canteens, changing rooms, toilets, infirmary) and technical buildings (workshops, boiler room). Supplier buildings include a logistics warehouse, a composite beam assembly building, and a 200-space car park.

The design and scale of the main building are intended to integrate and support the lifting equipment used to assemble the airships, including 11 overhead cranes and 34 winches. The main slab incorporates railway rails as well as all necessary technical infrastructure required for the site’s operation, in alignment with the Flying Whales process. This slab is further optimised by integrating additional functions such as natural cooling and rainwater storage to minimise the overall environmental impact.

In addition to managing large, complex structures, the success of this industrial site depends on the design of its main doors. We developed project-specific solutions based on large-scale motorised textile doors, inspired by the principles of diaphragm origami and tensegrity. Advanced modelling and material resistance calculations enabled the development of dynamic numerical simulations, ensuring these systems are both technically robust and directly applicable to the project.

The approach is based on a computational design method aimed at making the project more efficient by reducing its environmental impact.

This includes minimising the use of land, reducing soil disruption, limiting the number of materials used, decreasing the surfaces covered, collecting rainwater, and using natural and manufacturable resources. The design process involves using genetic algorithms inspired by Biomimicry to find the most suitable form for the site, ensuring a harmonious environmental integration. The design achieved a 50% reduction in steel use compared to traditional alternatives.

The Flying Whales Airship project has attracted international media attention, highlighting its ambition to revolutionise sustainable cargo transport through innovative airship technology. Explore the featured article below.

• La Tribune: Flying Whales authorized to continue construction of its airship factory in Gironde