Komo

Komo is a remote town in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, heavily damaged by an earthquake in February 2018. The masterplan responds to the disaster by building on what already exists — existing infrastructure, local resources, regional climate — rather than starting from scratch.

The plan divides into three zones: airport, town, and ecological reserve.

At the airport, a new 3.2 km runway establishes Komo as a Freeport for agricultural exports from the surrounding region, creating a regular stop for cargo planes trading produce into international markets. The same runway brings passengers and tourists to a network of eco-resorts in the ecological zone.

In the town, the old runway becomes a central boulevard — an axis that organises new civic programmes around it. At the core: international-standard high-altitude sports training facilities. Komo sits at an elevation and in a climate that suits year-round athletic training, and the facilities are designed to attract professional athletes and the investment that follows them.

The diversity of programmes — agriculture, tourism, sport — is deliberate. Different industries activate the town at different times of year and attract different sources of international investment. The design language draws from the region rather than importing one.

Implementation is underway in phases.