Mountain Airport: The Zhejiang Region’s First Direct Connection to China’s National Aviation Network

Begun in 2008 and completed 17 years later, Lishui Airport is the Zhejiang region’s first direct connection to China’s national aviation network. Designed by MAD, the airport marks a new chapter for the mountainous area of southwestern Zhejiang.

Lying 15 km southwest of the city center, the project ranks among the most topographically complex airport projects in East China. Construction required extensive earthworks, with cut-and-fill differences reaching 100 m in places.

Mountain Airport: A transport hub that doubles as a community space

Traditionally approached as purely functional infrastructure, airports are often detached from daily urban life. With Lishui Airport, MAD has proposed an alternative model: a transport hub that also serves as a community space, a local landmark, and a place of transition that offers travelers a chance for a calm respite from travel.

Located on a 2267 ha site, the terminal building occupies 12,000 m² and includes eight apron parking stands. The airport can handle up to a million passengers and 4000 metric tons of cargo annually. Ma Yansong, founder of MAD says, “We used materials with warm tones and natural textures to create a bright and airy interior. By adopting a one-and-a-half story layout, the airport remains compact, while supporting daily comfort and engaging in a dialogue with nature.”

Architecture that integrates with the landscape

The architectural concept draws inspiration directly from the surrounding landscape. The terminal follows the natural contours of the site, creating a gently sloping form that appears to emerge from the ground. Soft, uninterrupted volumes bring to mind a white bird resting among the mountains. The double-layered roof finished with silver-white aluminum panels responds to light and weather, while evoking images of mist-covered hills and birds in flight.

Extensive glazing framing the surrounding mountains dissolves the boundary between interior and exterior. The first-floor lobby varies in height from 4.5 to 13.0 m, producing a calibrated spatial experience that avoids the excessive scale often found in airport halls and improves energy performance. Narrow acoustic slots between interior panels help absorb noise, creating a quieter, more comfortable waiting environment.

Fourteen umbrella-shaped structural columns support the lightweight roof, while interior wood-toned lattices introduce warmth and visual rhythm. A large skylight at the roof’s apex brings natural light deep into the terminal building, animating the interiors with shifting light that marks the passage of the day.

A double-height entrance connects arrivals and departures, simplifying passenger circulation while maintaining visual continuity. Under the terminal, an underground parking garage follows the natural slope of the site, while a promenade guides passengers intuitively toward the departures hall.

On this complex mountainous site, the architects have used architectural continuity to avoid functional separation. With multiple connections to major destinations, Lishui Airport is an important infrastructure gateway and a threshold to the city.

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