A floating feather was the visual reference for the airport terminal that Chinese architecture studio MAD is designing in the city of Changchun, Jilin province, China.
Terminal 3 at Changchun Longjia International Airport will have a distinctive fan-shaped form, which is intended to resemble "a feather floating in the breeze".
MAD is designing a terminal for Changchun airport
Once complete, the building will measure 270,000 square meters and become the biggest air transport terminal in Jilin province ? accommodating 22 million passengers per year.
However, despite its size, MAD has designed its feather-like form to create light, airy interiors with the aim of making the building feel human in scale.
It will be divided into three corridor-like structures "The terminal building was designed to add a human-scaled space with a calming presence to the airport, both from a distance and from within," said the studio.
"As visitors approach from the high-speed rail Longjia Station or the parking structure, they will be greeted by the terminal?s unique fan-shaped profile that resembles a floating feather ? a nod to the airplanes that will be ascending and descending from its terminals throughout the day."
It is designed as a "human-scaled space"
The design, which incorporates 54 aircraft gates, was the winning entry of a design competition.
It is being developed by MAD in collaboration with China Airport Planning & Design Institute and Beij...