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Cityscape recommendations for Beijing

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-07-10 23:14

BEIJING  -- If you are coming to Beijing for the Olympics, Xinhua News Agency staff provides these tips for finding the capital's most impressive spots.

Terminal 3 -- Beijing Capital International Airport.

Beijing Capital International Airport

The new Terminal Three (T3) at the Beijing Capital International Airport is stunning for visitors and locals alike not only for its sheer size but by its enormous "galactic" ceiling and convenient modern facilities.

The dragon-shaped building, the largest air terminal in the world, covers a floor area of 98.6 hectares -- equal to the size of around 170 soccer pitches. Its opening earlier this year upgraded the airport's capacity from 35 million to 76 million passengers, sufficient to handle the estimated 60 million passengers during the Games period.

The semi-transparent ceiling is the highlight of T3 as it guarantees enough light and is energy-saving as well. The skylights resemble the scales of a giant dragon.

"Once inside, the immaculate floor reflects the space-age ceiling, which gives the impression of a star-lit sky," a foreign journalist commented.

Designed by renowned British architect Norman Foster, the modern international terminal incorporates several Chinese characteristics to make sure passengers know they are in China as soon as getting off a flight.

Foster, who redesigned Berlin's Reichstag, used the Chinese auspicious color of red and gold as the color scheme. The four-dragon sculpture of the symbolic Chinese bracelet-like sphere used in ancient China to forecast earthquakes and models of the ancient Suzhou gardens can also be experienced inside the building.

T3 is packed with shops selling all kinds of things ranging from international brands to Beijing local products. Altogether, there are 64 restaurants providing various dining options. These include the cuisine of different countries and fast food such as McDonald's and Burger King.

Despite its enormous size, passengers could hardly get lost inside. Along with plentiful directory signs, the ceiling can also provide clues  for all the steel tubes overhead are in a north-south direction. Different colors of the ceiling also inform passengers which area they are in.

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