MAD architects proposes snowflake-shaped terminal for china's harbin airport


MAD architects, led by ma yansong, has released its design for a proposed new terminal at harbin taiping international airport. from above, the terminal appears as a snowflake, referencing the region’s immense amounts of snow that falls in the region. the design simultaneously mimics the gentle slopes of china’s vast northern plains with an undulating topography that rises and falls in response to the building’s program.

as the capital of china’s heilongjiang province, harbin serves as one of the largest transportation hubs in the region. covering an area of 3,300 hectares, terminal 3 of harbin airport will contain a series of ancillary airport facilities, including ground transportation hubs, hotel, retail, and parking lots. despite the building’s inevitable size, MAD’s design seeks to establish an architectural program that is human-scale, efficient, and energy saving.

the scheme’s snowflake-shaped, five-finger departure corridors greatly shorten the time it takes for passengers to arrive at their gate, while also minimizing congestion and improving the overall efficiency of the airport apron. meanwhile, ridges on the roof function as skylights, flooding internal spaces with daylight and reducing the need for artificial illumination. the interior is populated with indoor gardens that offer opportunities for reflection and tranquility.

the ground transportation center (GTC) hub brings high-speed rail, municipal subway lines, airport buses, and other urban transport together, connecting harbin city to the airport. by 2030, terminal 3 of harbin taiping international airport is expected to reach an annual throughput of 43 million passengers, with approximately 320,000 outgoing flights per year. MAD’s concept strives to bring humanity, nature, and the local environment together with a highly-functional architectural program.

project info:

name: harbin taiping international airport (terminal 3)

location: harbin, china

date: 2018-2019
competition organizer: heilongjiang airport management group co., ltd.

airport consultant: china aviation planning and design institute 

executive architect: central south architectural design institute co., ltd.


typology: transportation infrastructure

site area: 3,269 hectares

building area: 918,500 sqm

architect: MAD architects
principal partners in charge: ma yansong, dang qun, yosuke hayano

associate partners in charge: liu huiying, tiffany dahlen

design team: li cunhao, sun shouquan, zhu yuhao, yao ran, ma yue, yang xuebing, giorgio castellano, connor hymes, chen yien