Despite their sleek and slim appearance, Air Traffic Control towers house a vast amount of equipment critical to the operation of a busy airport. Much of this equipment is located on different levels within the tower construction itself, in dedicated equipment rooms and radar rooms, rather than in the visual control room at the top.
This maximizes the operational space in a restricted environment and reduces the weight, power and ventilation requirements for the operational deck. As a result critical data has to be transmitted between the equipment and operator displays in order for the air traffic controllers to carry out their jobs effectively and safely.