The Metropolitan International Airport, which currently exists in the north of Beijing, with the third - the newest - terminal designed by Norman Foster (2008) is now working at its maximum capacity (it is the second busiest in the world). Therefore, on the southern outskirts of the city, in the Daxing district, a New International Airport will be built with a terminal designed for a passenger traffic of 45 million people per year.
China is located in the fastest growing "aviation sector" on the planet, and the new terminal should meet not only the needs of the country's capital, but also the adjacent Hebei province and Tianjin city: the new transport center should also contribute to the economic development of the area.
The terminal will be distinguished by its high "adaptability": its configuration can be changed depending on the fluctuating air and passenger traffic from day to day. The building will include an interchange hub linking the airport with local and national rail networks, including the Gaotie high-speed trains.
ADPI, French airport design specialists, won the competition back in 2011. The project team now includes, in addition to Zaha Hadid Architects, British companies Buro Happold, Mott Macdonald and EC Harris. According to preliminary data, the airport will open in 2018.
