Strategic Ecosystems

Xiamen Airport Island



An ecological mosaic of urban ‘pebbles’ balances integration of the airport island with the province and the region.

Located at the heart of Fujian province in close proximity to Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Quanzhou and Taiwan, Xiamen New Airport Area occupies a strategic position within the Maritime Silk Road of the Belt and Road Initiative. Conceived as an aerotropolis, a regional integrated aviation hub, Xiamen New Airport is poised to elevate the competitiveness of Haixi Economic Zone to the level of Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta.

Current masterplan for the Airport island and the surrounding area, will ensure its growth position as a new economic node. With a strategic economic master plan in place, the design challenge for the aerotropolis is therefore to create liveable ecological coastal districts that will complement its economic ambitions.

Our masterplan proposal titled Next Xiamen Belt (厦一带)supports the macro ambitions of the Belt and Road Initiative with a clear focus on the productivity, liveability and sustainability of future generations to work and live in.

One of the distinctive qualities of new Xiamen Xiangan Airport is its island context. As the terminus destination, it is crucial to connect and integrate programmatically with the mainland. We therefore centred our urban design strategy on the journey through the island via the twin ecological corridor of Shamei and Jiuxikou and four major mobility corridors comprising highways, metro lines and cycling paths, converging onto a single avenue towards the airport.

These corridors define the character and experience of the Airport city, they consolidate transportation, circulation, logistics and infrastructure. By carefully designing a curated experience along these corridors, a series of urban design guidelines have been introduced to create distinctive vibrant mixed-use districts.

Year 2020 Location Xiamen, China Client Xiamen Municipal Land Development Centre Collaborators Huayi Design, Intact Studio, AYD Area 62 sqkm Status Competition