MAD Architects Create Nature-Inspired Garden Airport Terminal
When envisioning an airport, a luminous, verdant space may not be the initial image that springs to mind, but that’s precisely what Ma Yansong’s [MAD Architects](http://www.i-mad.com/) sought to achieve with their award-winning design for the newest terminal of Changchun International Airport. In 2023, the firm triumphed in an international competition for Terminal 3 of the Chinese airport, based on a design inspired by the idea of a “garden airport.”
This inspiration aligns perfectly with Changchun’s designation as a “Garden City.” To cultivate this ambiance, the firm crafted a roof resembling a feather, allowing natural light to permeate the interior. This not only fosters a bright environment for travelers but also nourishes the indoor landscape, which incorporates trees, ground types, and water elements to form a “cold zone garden” reflective of the local climate. Outside, the landscape’s woodlands, lakes, fields, and rolling topography perpetuate the theme.
“The terminal’s commitment to green design on a personal scale addresses the enduring human desire for connection to both human and plant life, all encapsulated within a form as light and airy as a feather drifting in the wind,” the architects express.
Achieving a human-scale experience within a 270,000-square-meter (2.9-million-square-foot) terminal is no small feat, but MAD has successfully done so by implementing a three-fingered corridor that links Terminal 3 to the existing terminals, while also offering ample seating near the aircraft. At the terminal entrance, travelers will find direct links to the subway and parking, along with the high-speed rail station located a short distance away.
Once completed, Changchun International Airport Terminal 3 will serve 22 million passengers annually, departing from 54 gates. Yet, with such a tranquil ambiance, this might be one airport from which passengers never wish to depart.
## MAD Architects secured the international competition to design a new terminal at Changchun International Airport.
## The architects have developed a bright, airy “garden airport” drawing inspiration from Changchun’s identity as a garden city.
## Upon completion, Changchun International Airport Terminal 3 will host 22 million passengers per year.
#### **MAD: [Website](http://www.i-mad.com/) | [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/madarchitects/?hl=en) | [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/madmayansong/)**
#### *My Modern Met granted permission to showcase images by MAD.*
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