Shen Nongjia, the gene bank of China and the spine of Central China, has a primitive and mystic landscape. This ancient forest is where Shen Nong, the primogenitor of the Chinese people, had “made scaffolds to pick medicinal herbs”, “made wooden ladder to climb the cliffs”, “built wooden hut to seek shelter from wind and rain”, and “erected wooden altar, ridden a crane and flown to heaven”.  

       In conception of the Airport Terminal of Shen Nongjia, CADI has considered the local cultural and historical features. The theme is to create an eco-friendly, leisurely, tourism-oriented and general aviation purpose civilian 4C airport.

       The motif of the design is “to erect a building with wooden structures”. The natural landscape will be preserved. The methodology of “break up the whole into parts” is applied in the design process. The roof made of triangular folded plates takes the form of mountain terrain thereby avoid the monotonousness of whole body roof. The folded roof looks like the wandering mountains. In the background of skyline, the building perfectly melts into the geographical features, forming a harmonious landscape with the surroundings. 

       The plane arrangement reflects the streamlined functions of the terminal. The randomly rippling rooftop rests on the functional plane, fully expressing the design concepts. The project cost is well controlled, without compromising the efficiency of actual use. The overall pattern and spatial arrangement are enhanced by this ingenious design.

       The design also reflects the ecological awareness. The transparent glass curtain wall and the steel trusses form a sharp contrast. The natural scenery in the reflection of curtain wall and the rippling wooden roof are melted into an organic whole. The building is grand and natural. It has become a part of the natural landscape. 

       The indoor design also follows the ecological design concept and style. The waiting area in the central zone takes a unique garden style. For detailed decorations, local stone and wooden materials are used in the eco-friendly finish design. The columns look like trees in the forest. The ecological design of the airport adds some rustic charm to the building, and creates a relaxed, delightful and amusing atmosphere for the tourists.

Time of design/completion: 2009/2013

Project site: Shen Nongjia Forestry District, Hubei Province

Total land area: 6,911 m²

Total floorage: 3,750 m²

Architects : CITIC General Institute of Architectural Design and Research Co., Ltd.