Specialist airport design consultancy The Design Solution has been appointed by Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) to redevelop the commercial planning and design of the international departure lounge in Terminal 3.
Since its launch in 2008, Terminal 3 at BCIA – also known as the Dragon terminal – has been an iconic symbol of the innovation and growth of the Chinese travel market.
Handling over 100 million passengers last year, BCIA has grown steadily but the gradual migration of traffic to the new Beijing Daxing Airport – launched in October 2019 – has created an opportunity for a bold reconfiguration of the departure lounge area. The project aims to drive stronger commercial performance through a significant expansion of the total commercial space in Terminal 3, from 11,264sqm to over 13,000sqm, and the creation of a radically-updated retail experience for the terminal’s 10 million departing passengers each year.
In particular, the re-planning will address the fact that the central commercial areas are surrounded by shops but have very large central island units; the reconfiguration will create better retail positioning and enhance passenger flow through the space, expanding exposure to the retail offer.
Specialist airport design consultancy The Design Solution has been appointed by Beijing Capital International Airport to redevelop the commercial planning and design of the international departure lounge in Terminal 3.
The project plan will integrate a unique interior design with innovative technology building on the current two ‘historic’ gardens and fountain, while creating a distinct sense of place. The holistic design will integrate a series of environmental elements and communicate an authentic expression of the human history and dynamic spirit of the extraordinary capital city.
Mdm Li, Assistant Manager of Market Development, BCIA, outlines the vision behind the Terminal 3 project: “As traffic continues on its long-term growth pattern it is crucial that we ensure we continue to innovate and provide our passengers with a premium quality airport experience, as demonstrated by our recent repeated success in the ACI ASQ awards.
“This extensive reconfiguration and redesign expresses our commitment to the passenger experience in retail and F&B and will drive significant new revenue opportunities for the airport including our retail partners, China Duty Free Group.”
Robbie Gill, Managing Director, The Design Solution, comments: “Designed by Naco, Arup and Foster+Partners, Terminal 3 at Beijing Capital Airport is one of the most iconic terminals in the world and it is a great honour to be selected to reimagine, re-plan and redesign this soaring space.
“The commercial areas were originally planned nearly 20 years ago and, in that time, the world of airport retailing has moved forward dramatically. In particular, the importance of luxury brands, particularly in China, has become ever more important at the heart of the retail experience. Eating and drinking has also become a much bigger imperative for the region’s travellers.
“The airport wants to take the opportunity of the reduced traffic passing through the airside space – due to the migration of passengers to Daxing – to transform the terminal experience ready for further growth in the future. We will be creating a new powerful vision and transform the space to maintain BCIA’s pioneering position among the world’s leading airport experiences.”
The project plan will integrate a unique interior design with innovative technology building on the current two ‘historic’ gardens and fountain, while creating a distinct sense of place.
