Commercial Aviation
Lishui Airport Opens with Nature-Inspired Terminal by MAD Architects
Lishui Airport in Zhejiang begins operations with a bird-inspired terminal by MAD Architects, enhancing connectivity to major Chinese cities.
The Lishui Airport in Zhejiang Province has officially commenced operations, marking a significant milestone for the region’s transportation infrastructure. Designed by MAD Architects, the new facility represents the first direct aviation link for the mountainous southwestern area of the province. According to reporting by ArchDaily, the project is the culmination of a 17-year planning and construction effort initiated in 2008.
While initial commercial flights began in July 2025, the architectural community celebrated the terminal’s full completion in February 2026. The airport is positioned as a “civic landmark” rather than a purely utilitarian transport hub, reflecting Lishui’s identity as a “Forest City.” The facility closes the last gap in Zhejiang’s aviation network, significantly reducing travel times to major metropolitan areas like Beijing and Shanghai.
MAD Architects, led by Ma Yansong, approached the design with a focus on harmonizing the structure with the surrounding topography. Unlike the colossal scale typical of many modern Chinese transport hubs, Lishui Airport aims for a human-centric scale that respects the natural environment.
The terminal covers approximately 12,100 square meters and features a distinctive “bird-like” form. According to the design team, the silver-white aluminum roof is intended to resemble a white bird resting among the mountains. This roof structure is supported by 14 umbrella-shaped columns and features a large overhang of up to 30 meters, providing shelter and aesthetic continuity.
Inside, the terminal utilizes warm, wood-toned finishes to contrast with the metallic exterior, creating a welcoming atmosphere for travelers. A spindle-shaped skylight serves as a central anchor, flooding the space with natural light. The layout employs a “one-and-a-half-story” sectional design, which visually connects the ground-floor arrivals area with the upper-floor departures, optimizing passenger flow within a compact footprint.
“Lishui is a garden city, and her airport should also be in a garden… not greedy for big, but pursuing convenience and humanity.”
, Ma Yansong, Principal Partner at MAD Architects
The realization of Lishui Airport required overcoming significant engineering hurdles due to the region’s complex hilly terrain. Construction involved massive earthworks to create a level plateau in a valley where elevation differences reached nearly 100 meters. This “cut-and-fill” operation makes it one of the most topographically complex airport projects in East China.
The site spans 2,267 hectares, including the flight zones and reclaimed land. The runway measures 2,800 meters in length and 45 meters in width, achieving a 4C flight zone rating capable of handling Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 series aircraft. Operational data indicates that the airport is designed to handle an initial annual throughput of 1 million passengers and 4,000 tons of cargo. Future projections estimate passenger numbers could rise to 1.8 million by 2030 and 5 million by 2050, with plans for an international terminal to accommodate this growth.
Current connectivity includes daily flights to Beijing (Capital and Daxing) and Shanghai (Pudong), alongside routes to other major cities such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Chengdu. Airlines operating at the facility include Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines.
The completion of Lishui Airport signals a broader shift in Chinese infrastructure development. For decades, the trend favored massive, sprawling “mega-airports” designed to maximize capacity and project power. However, Lishui represents a pivot toward “feeder” airports that prioritize ecological integration and passenger experience over sheer size. By focusing on a “garden” aesthetic and utilizing a compact footprint, the project demonstrates how regional infrastructure can boost economic connectivity, cutting travel time to Beijing from over five hours to roughly 2.5 hours, without overwhelming the local landscape.
Lishui Airport Begins Operations with Nature-Inspired Terminal by MAD Architects
Architectural Concept: A Bird in the Mountains
Interior and Layout
Engineering Challenges and Construction History
Operational Capacity and Connectivity
AirPro News Analysis
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Photo Credit: MAD