World’s Biggest Airport Opens in Beijing
Just in time for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China has opened the world’s biggest airport. The new Terminal 3, built at a cost of $3.5 billion USD, measures a gigantic 501 square MILES! This one building is 17% bigger than the combined floorspace of all of Heathrow’s terminals 1, 2, 3, 4 and new Terminal 5.
From the air, the new airport looks like a giant guitar waiting for the God of all Guitar Heros to come down from the heavens and rock the planet. The building’s designer describes it this way:
This is a building borne of its context. It communicates a uniquely Chinese sense of place and will be a true gateway to the nation. This is expressed in its dragon-like form and the drama of the soaring roof that is a blaze of ‘traditional’ Chinese colours – imperial reds merge into golden yellows. As you proceed along the central axis, view of the red columns stretching ahead into the far distance evokes images of a Chinese temple.
The new airport is part of a series of structures that China is building for their Olympic coming out party on 08-08-08. No other country has ever spent this much money on an Olympics and I doubt any country ever will in the future. They’re making the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver look like a five and dine store. No doubt about it. To get rich IS glorious.
Check out more information and pictures of the new airport at Arch Daily.
- Posted in Technology
- 53 comments what's your take?
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AWESOME. It looks amazing.
Reply to this commentIT does look amazing! That would be a site to see as you come into land at the airport. I wonder how far in the sky you could see it?
Reply to this comment~Terry
yeah they spent a lot. they better finish number 1 then.
Reply to this commentNice airport… would love to see more pics.
Reply to this commentI’d love to see more pics, absolutely. I am fascinated by GIGANTIC things, and this one takes the cake.
Reply to this commentJohn left a link to more details and pictures
Reply to this commentJust checked out the other pics at Arch Daily and wow, that is one amazing airport.
Reply to this commentsame here. I’d just search on google! lol actually I’ve already typed in google images
Reply to this commentWOW that’s so beautiful… is it an Airport or just an ARt??
Reply to this commentYeah it is both. Instead of building a boring looking hunk of steel and concrete, they created something visually pleasing to the eye.
Reply to this comment~Terry
Wow! That really is a huge airport, just look at all those planes in the picture. Very neat and interesting design as well, I’m sure that if you listened to everybody exiting the plane, you would probably hear a lot of them talking about what it looks like from the sky. Definitely something different!
Reply to this commentThe design is pretty amazing. At first when I saw the picture I didn’t realize the airplanes I just focused on the guitar like design.
Reply to this commentAmazing. China is making every country look like a 5 and dime store. Keep the pictures coming this has been your best journey thus far.
Reply to this commentVery Beautiful Airport, I will come there for sure
Reply to this commentWhoa that looks awesome. $3.5 bil is a lotta money tho lol
Reply to this commentThat is simply amazing! I’ve been watching all these new China “OLYMPIC” buildings getting developed and it is just so cool! I mean check out that AQUATIC building
-Mike
Reply to this commentVery nice. China is really beautiful. For those who haven’t been to China, have a visit there and it will change your view about China.
Reply to this commentFantastic airport!!
Reply to this commentWhy are you so obsessed with getting rich? It’s nice to live a comfortable life but I think there is more to life than just that. China may be coming more wealthy but they are paying for it in other ways.
Reply to this commentBecause to get rich is glorious!
Reply to this commentI agree
Reply to this commentIm not there yet, but well on my way.
I want to earn more money
Reply to this commentGet a job!
Reply to this commentBy the way, the Olympics are so ridiculous, I’m not sure why anyone cares about them anyway…
1. You have athletes who cheat by taking steroids.
2. Proven cases of favoritism voting.
3. Proven Corruption by Olympic Officials.
4. The Olympic Torch being carried through North Korea as if North Korea is supposed to represent all that is decent in the world.
5. Oh yeah and the Chinese henchman who accompanied the torch on it’s run.
6. Finally the medal count… with the same countries every Olympics winning the majority of medals. It really doesn’t mean anything.
Reply to this commentZOMG what are u talkin about lolz the olimpics are my LYFE!!!11
Reply to this commentI would agree. I’m not all that crazy about the Olympics. Sort of lost its luster.
Reply to this commentI Strongly disagree!
Reply to this commentI live in a really small country - about 1 million people. Every once in a while we have someone from my country winning the Olympic gold medal - It does miracles on bringing the nation together as one. Maybe it only happens in smaller countries, but I am certain when our hope for the gold medal is competing, all 1 million Estonians will be watching tv and crossing their fingers!
Very neat and interesting design as well, I’m sure that if you listened to everybody exiting the plane, you would probably hear a lot of them talking about what it looks like from the sky. Definitely something different.
Reply to this commentWOW Looks Amazing
Reply to this commentThat looks pretty cool!
Reply to this commentNice article, but it lacks the name of the new airport! What is the new airport’s name?
Reply to this commentThe name is still the same as the old airport. This is just a new terminal. I think the nickname is Gigantic Dragon.
Reply to this commenthey john i think you have placed wrong link under my name ‘Bob’ in top commenters sectionn…is it me or another Bob?? my link is dreadbob.blogspot.com ……..
Reply to this commentIt is really amazing! and colorful
. It cost a lot of money but holding the Olympics is an important source of income and self promotion.
Reply to this commentIt’s just amazing! The Asian people maakes huge succes with this kind of stuff. I love their engineers
Reply to this commentthis is amazing man those who think china can produce only cheap quality they will now think again about their opinion
the structure is really world class and looking at the size no wonder if they announce it a wonder of modern world
Reply to this commentOne Expensive Airport Terminal thats for sure
Reply to this commentHong kong is also having a very big airport, & this airport gives it a tough competition..
Reply to this commentWow. I really admire the design and would love to see this when I’m flying into (over) an airport.
Reply to this commentWhen it comes to stuff like this, China is kickin’ the United States’ butt!
Reply to this commentThe USA is probably doing quite a bit to help fund all these projects in China. They do import a lot of stuff from China.
Reply to this comment~Terry
This is true, almost everything I own was made in China.
Reply to this commentit doesn’t really matter what you think about the olympics, whether or not they are important, or have any value.. what matters is that the host city/country should understand that in hosting the games they are putting a spotlight on their country and especially the city. By creating these wonderful buildings, and amazing feats of engineering and design, it shows the world, “hey we care about our city, and are going to put some effort into making these olympic games special.”
and then there is vancouver who i guess thinks “hey we can just rely on mountains and ocean, and hopefully no one will notice the big concrete prison block we put up and called a speed skating dome!”
Reply to this commentI can’t take the image of this airport from my head. I love to take pictures from the airplane when I’m traveling. I took very nice ones when I went to Vegas.
Reply to this commentWow, China is really coming up. I wonder how many shops this airport has, I mean, I’ve been to the airport in Dubai and that is fascinating. I would love to see this one!
Reply to this commentJohn,
That’s humongous - I considered Heathrow huge before, now it’s 17% more bigger?! Whoa…
“the new airport looks like a giant guitar waiting for the God of all Guitar Heroes” - LOL
Reply to this commentIt looks stunning! I wouldn’t like to land there though if I was a pilot I would be too busy gawking to concentrate!
Reply to this commentThat looks wicked. It strangely looks like some kind of huge dart.
Reply to this commentThe airport photo looks brilliant. So beautiful WOW!
Reply to this commentYeah like the above comment said “WICKED”
WOW! The airport shows China as one of the world superpowers to those who doubt that fact.
Reply to this commentthis is great, such a huge one
Reply to this comment