International architecture and design firm Lead 8 has been appointed lead designer for the commercial terminal at Beijing’s new Daxing International Airport, which is racing toward completion.
Scheduled for opening next year on a fast-tracked construction schedule, Daxing is huge, with seven runways, 78 gates, and a main terminal (pictured) designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and ADPI.
Estimated to cost $13bn, the airport located 29 miles from Beijing is claimed to have the largest main terminal in the world, and will eventually have a throughput of 100 million passengers a year.
It is expected to be the first Zaha Hadid-designed airport to be completed.
Lead 8’s render of the commercial terminal it will design for Daxing International Airport (Lead 8)
Its operator, China Resources Land, picked Lead 8 based on the firm’s experience designing "hybrid workspaces" and a track-record in aviation designs, said Lead 8, which was founded in 2014 and now has 200 designers based in offices in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, London and Singapore.
The commercial terminal must have "new generation" workspaces, with integrated retail, dining and entertainment offerings.
"Under the challenging site conditions, Lead 8 adopted a creative and inspiring approach in handling of the spaces, while working in collaboration with the operators," its press release said.
"The new aeropolis is a glimpse into the shape of the cities of the future," said Simon Chua, Lead 8 cofounder and executive director. "Our future workspaces are being influenced by the changing lifestyles of a new generation, as work, entertainment and hospitality blurs the boundaries to create new opportunities."
Top image: Render of the main terminal complex of Daxing International Airport, Beijing, designed by Zaha Hadid (Zaha Hadid Architects)
