Located in a region with the fastest growing demand for international travel, an expansion for the congested Beijing Daxing International Airport was much needed. Zaha Hadid Architects designed the newly inaugurated airport to meet the needs of the city's booming population and to be adaptable for future growth.

ZHA drew from the traditional Chinese architectural concept of organizing interconnected spaces around a central courtyard for the 700,000-square-meter passenger terminal. Passengers are guided seamlessly through the respective departure, arrival, or transfer zones toward the multi-layered grand courtyard at the heart of the terminal. 

Six flowing forms support the terminal's vaulted roof and let natural light into the space, ZHA says. Natural light also enters the terminal through a network of linear skylights “that provide an intuitive system of navigation throughout the building, guiding passengers to and from their departure gates.” Structural spans up to 100 meters form the terminal's public spaces and allow flexibility for future reconfigurations.

The terminal's compact, "starfish"-like radial design maximizes the number of aircraft to be parked directly at the terminal to provide more convenience for passengers. Plus, the terminal is directly connected to a total of 79 gates with airbridges. 

Five aircraft piers radiate directly from the terminal's central court, where passenger services and amenities are located, which allows passengers to walk relatively short distances through the airport without the need for shuttle trains, according to ZHA.

The expanded airport also features an 80,000 m² ground transportation center that offers direct connections to Beijing, the national high-speed rail network, and local train services linked to nearby provinces like Tianjin and Hebei. 

Find more project photos, drawings, and a video below.