he first "bird-shaped pillar" for Terminal 3 of Shanghai Pudong International Airport was successfully hoisted and will form a
"bird's wings" shape inside the terminal.
solar marine lanterns,
airport halogen light,
LED runway edge light,
Halogen taxiway light.
Photo: The first "bird-shaped column" of Terminal 3 at Pudong Airport was successfully hoisted.
According to Shanghai Airport Group, the construction of the international main building of Terminal 3 at Pudong Airport recently reached a significant milestone with the successful installation of the first "bird-shaped column," marking the official start of the roof system construction phase.
Pudong Airport Terminal 3 adopts an integrated design concept encompassing architecture, structure, and decoration. Within the existing spatial structure of the terminal, skylights, ceilings, and beams and columns are integrated to create an artistic "bird wing" shape. Simultaneously, it considers aesthetics and economy, echoing the terminal's undulating, "soaring" exterior, forming a unique architectural effect of "a bird in flight, wings outstretched." The beams and columns that make up the shape are composed of 17 "bird-shaped columns" and 24 main truss connectors.
Image: Rendering of Pudong Airport Terminal 3
The bird-shaped column has a complex structure, constructed from high-curvature hyperboloid stamped steel plates and high-strength cast steel components. It branches upwards from a straight hexagonal section at the base, gradually splitting into two branches, then further branching into four, ultimately presenting a smooth, curved shape. The largest single bird-shaped column weighs up to 80 tons. The high-strength cast steel components used at the branching nodes are the first large-scale application of their kind in a structural engineering project in China, making their fabrication and on-site installation extremely challenging.
To address this, Shanghai Airport, in collaboration with participating construction units, conducted multiple expert demonstrations and discussions in the early stages, introducing advanced digital construction technologies such as CNC machining, robotic welding, 3D scanning, and simulated pre-assembly. Strict assembly and acceptance procedures were implemented to ensure precise construction.
The Pudong Airport Phase IV Expansion Project is a key project of the National 14th Five-Year Plan, a project of the Yangtze River Delta world-class airport cluster, and a major project of Shanghai. Terminal 3 is the core project, designed to handle 50 million passengers per day. Upon completion, it will better serve the interconnectivity of the Yangtze River Delta region, facilitate high-quality travel for the public, and meet the medium- and long-term development and hub operation needs of base airlines.