In 2003 NACO, Netherlands Airport Consultants, together with Foster and Partners and ARUP, won the international design competition for the expansion of Beijing Capital International Airport, and was assigned the task to design the new terminal building including the landside and airside infrastructure to be ready for the 2008 Olympics.

Beijing's new international terminal is the world's largest and most advanced airport building, not only technologically, but also in terms of passenger experience, operational efficiency and sustainability. Completed as the gateway to the city for athletes participating in the 2008 Olympics, it is designed to be welcoming and uplifting. A symbol of place, its soaring aerodynamic roof and dragon-like form celebrate the thrill and poetry of flight and evoke traditional Chinese colors and symbols.

Located between the existing eastern runway and the future third runway, the Terminal Building and Ground Transportation Centre (GTC) enclose a floor area of 1.3 million square meters is able to accommodate an estimated 50 million passengers per annum. It has 100 aircraft stands, 72 of which are contact stands including 24 A380 aircraft parking positions.
Public transport connections are fully integrated, walking distances for passengers are short, with few level changes, and transfer time between flights are minimal; making Beijing Terminal 3 one of the most efficient terminals combining functionality, commercial opportunities, passenger convenience and enjoyment with striking architecture.

The layout of the airside, landside and the terminal building are designed for maximum flexibility to cope with the unpredictable nature of the aviation industry. It aims to resolve the complexities of modern air travel, combining spatial clarity with high service standards.

The terminal is environmentally sustainable with south east orientated skylights integrated into the roof to enable the sun to warm the building on winter mornings and make the most of available daylight resulting in significantly lower energy loss.
One of the main challenges that had to be overcome during this project was the seemingly unreachable completion date ahead of the Beijing Olympics. In order to meet the deadline a fast track project approach was implemented and the team literally worked round the clock, in offices around the world utilizing the time zones, allowing the construction to start only three months after the start of the project.

Services: master plan; concept design, schematic design; signage; preliminary design T3 and Ground Transport Centre (GTC); concept design airside and landside; specifications; cost estimates; bills of quantity; design development support T3 and GTC.