IPSE DIXIT And yet it doesn’t move. Without invoking Galileo too much, this seems the most fitting phrase to describe the story of Hong Kong International Airport, built on the artificial island of Chek Lap Kok and connected to the nearby island of Lantau. Designed by star architect Norman Foster and inaugurated in 1998, it is today one of the world’s most important hubs. From the very beginning, when the project first took shape, it faced heavy criticism from international observers, who doubted the resilience of the islands—and therefore of the airport itself. Concerns centered on soil stability and the ability to withstand extreme weather events, not uncommon in that part of the world. And yet, today, this airport stands as a true engineering pride for Hong Kong. «Dark forebodings over Hong Kong Airport.» Laurence Zuckerman, journalist THE NEW YORK TIMES, January 22, 1992 Photo credit: Ralf Roletschek / Wikimedia Commons, August 12, 2013 HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (CHINA, 1998) “DARK FOREBODINGS OVER HONG KONG AIRPORT” It is the busiest cargo airport in the world. In January 2025, its cargo volumes increased by 4.1% year-on-year, reaching 394,000 tons. IN SHORT Name: Hong Kong International Airport Location: China Start date: 1998 Inauguration year: 2013 Criticisms: Dangerous for the stability of the islands on which it stands Results: It is a giant of world air traffic THE BENEFITS OF A GREAT WORK SOURCES THE NEW YORK TIMES https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/22/ IHT-sinking-feeling-at-hong-kongairport.html AIRPORT COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL https://aci.aero/2024/07/16/top20-busiest-airports-in-the-worldconfirmed-by-aci-world/ HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT https://www.hongkongairport.com/en/ about-us/?section=our-history
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