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Beijing Airport

New terminal lit with 70,000 luminaires

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All airports rely on light. It is used to accentuate the architectural features of terminal buildings, provide relaxing, sustainable environments for passengers and staff and enables efficient management of baggage and cargo handling activities. Thorn has a long history of involvement in many of the world’s major airport projects, but nowhere is the company’s ability to provide a total lighting solution more clearly demonstrated than at Beijing's latest 2008 Olympics project – the monumental International Airport Terminal 3 building. This is the new gateway to China and, with a concourse nearly two miles long and a half-mile wide, is the world's largest covered structure.

Performance
Around 70,000 luminaires have been supplied for the terminal and its associated Ground Traffic Centre. For such a vast space the lighting plan had to serve a dual purpose: not only provide sufficient illumination for the task, but be free of glare, thereby lessening eye fatigue and strain; and increasing staff performance and motivation.

Efficiency
The lighting options supplied combine low running costs with ease of maintenance and practical performance. Many of the luminaires are fitted with a unique rotating mounting bracket for easy access from the lofty maintenance catwalks.

Comfort
The terminal's designer, Lord Foster, placed a premium on space and light, producing an airy glass-and steel structure employing distinct Chinese colours and characteristics. Its rising aerodynamic roof reflects the feeling of aviation as well as being representative of a dragon, complete with triangular skylights that resemble scales. The lighting creates an ambience that combines grandeur with intimacy. It is also used to enhance the colours  - at the entrance passengers encounter a blaze of crimson, reminiscent of good luck and happiness, while inside gold is used for its association with the earth and calmness.

The lighting was developed in conjunction with a joint venture design and engineering team, comprising Dutch airport planners NACO, engineers Arup and the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design and Research.