MAD architects unveils organic terminal design for changchun airport

an ambitious new terminal for changchun city

Led by Ma Yansong, MAD Architects presents its winning entry in an international competition for the design of Changchun ‘Longjia’ International Airport Terminal 3 in China. The proposal is designed in collaboration with China Airport Planning & Design Institute and Beijing Institute of Architectural Design.

Changchun City, located in one of the earliest manufacturing industrial metropolises of China’s northeastern region and home to twenty-three million people, is set to have the largest airport in Jilin Province, with a 177.6-hectare footprint and a total building area of 270,000 square meters. After completion, the terminal is expected to handle twenty-two million passengers annually through fifty-four new aircraft gates. The city is surrounded by plentiful natural resources, such as the dense forests renowned in Northeast Asia, and it is a major international hub in the region.

images © MAD Architects | @madarchitects

mad architects proposes a ‘floating feather’

MAD Architects envisions the new Changchun Airport terminal building with a tranquil and inviting atmosphere, both from a distance and from inside. When travelers arrive from the ‘Longjia’ Station or parking lot, they will be welcomed by the terminal’s unique fan-shaped form resembling a ‘floating feather’ — a reminder of the planes that will depart and arrive from its terminals over the course of the day.

The architects design the terminal with a three-pronged corridor structure surrounded by arcs in order to ensure a harmonious layout when connecting to the T1 and T2 terminal areas, while still providing additional seating capacity close to the aircrafts. As passengers enter, they will be greeted by a large, uninterrupted ground floor that offers direct access to the subway, roadway, and other forms of transportation that link the terminal to the larger area.

‘The future large-scale transportation junction is first of all an important public space in the city. Art, synthesis, diversity, and humanity are all important,’ says Ma Yansong.

the airport will host abundant gardens

The airport terminal has been planned by MAD Architects with lush interior landscaping to echo the surrounding ‘Garden City’ of Changchun. Approaching the terminal, travelers will be met with an abundance of forests, lakes, meadows and rolling hills, while the interior of the airport features a ‘cold zone garden’ of trees, ground covers and water features which are all native to the region.

The feather-shaped roof of the departure hall allows natural light to flood the interior, creating a bright and inviting atmosphere that extends to the gardens inside. The structural system of the building follows the rhythmic pattern of the skin, showing the direction of the force transmission and guiding the passengers towards the central skylights. The distinctive timber ceiling contributes to the dynamic interiors, harmonizing with the organic rooftop and skylights overhead.

‘The terminal’s approach to green design at an intimate scale is a response to the timeless human need for connection to human and plant-life alike,’ continues the design team, ‘all within a shape as light and airy as a feather floating in the breeze.’

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project info:

project title: Changchun Airport Terminal 3

architecture: MAD Architects, China Airport Planning & Design Institute Co., Ltd., Beijing Institute of Architectural Design Co., Ltd.

location: Changchun, Jilin Province, China
terminal site area: 177.6 hectares (1,776,000 square meters)
terminal building area: 270,000 square meters
client: Jilin Provincial Civil Airport Group Company

MAD Architects team: Ma Yansong, Dang Qun, Yosuke Hayanoliu Huiying, Kin Li, Sun Shouquan, Sun Mingze, Song Minzhe, Wang Fei, Lu Zihao, Xiao Yuhan, Chen Wei, Cao Xi, Yoshio Fukumori

China Airport Planning & Design Institute team: Mu Tong, Yao Huilai, Feng Xiangling, Sun Yongxue, Yao Yuan, Xu Junjie, Zhang Bao, Zhang Yan, Shen Xin, Qi Junjie, Hao Wenjia, Liu Zihao, Xu Ke, Li Zhennan, Feng Mengyao, Li Xiong, Zheng Guangshun, Shen Yi, Lu Xin, Li Henghui

Beijing Institute of Architectural design team: Wang Xiaoqun, Shu Weinong, Wang Yizhi, Li Shaokun, Su Yao, Wu Di, Wang Yisu, Wang Bin, Ren Jie, Zhang Zhongqi, Zhang Linyi, Chen Lin, Gu Xianliang, Mu Yang, Fan Shixing, Wang Hanmo, Zhang Shizhong, Yu Xinqiao, Zhang Shirui, Pan Ming