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For most of the 20th century, there was little call for foreign architects and designers in China, but things are different in 21st century China and in Beijing. The country has quickly become the biggest single patron of avant-garde architecture in the world, while at the same time respecting and trying to retain as much as possible the Chinese traditional architecture style.

Though long desired and planned, many of the world’s most glamorous architectural projects did not come to life until planning began for the 2008 Olympic Games, including the massive new US$2 billion Terminal 3 expansion project at the Beijing Capital International Airport.

Now, Beijing is investing huge sums of money in Olympic venues such as the 100,000-seat Olympic Stadium designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, China’s new National Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest, and the National Aquatics Center or Watercube, a swimming centre, designed by the Australian firm PTW, with a facade of transparent, lightweight panels that when inflated resemble huge bubbles. The French architect Paul Andreu designed the US$300 million, dome-shaped National Theatre in the heart of the city, and, after an extensive competition two years ago, Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas was chosen to build what his firm has called its "most ambitious project ever": the dramatic new headquarters for CCTV, China's state-run broadcasting company. The “bent” skyscraper, with a budget of at least $600 million, involved collaboration between Koolhaas and his partner, Ole Scheeren, and will compete for recognition as one of the most iconic sites in the heart of Beijing, in its booming Central Business District (CBD).

But the Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) project is front and centre these days, and unlike some of the other projects, its designers have focused more on using traditional Chinese elements. The BCIA expansion project’s design, by Norman Foster and his London-based firm Foster & Partners, has incorporated the mythical Chinese dragon into its design of Terminal 3 (T3).

T3 will be the gateway to the city as it welcomes athletes from around the world to the 29th Olympiad in 2008. This, the world's largest and most advanced airport building—not only technologically, but also in terms of passenger experience, operational efficiency and sustainability—will be welcoming and uplifting. The palace-like structure and its soaring aerodynamic roof and dragon-like form will celebrate the thrill and poetry of aviation, while evoking traditional Chinese colours and symbols such as its images of ancient Chinese temples and palaces with its enormous sloping golden roof and Chinese red columns. The roof itself was once a subject of heated debate between Foster and Beijing officials, who finally settled on a muted gold colour with raised triangles to resemble scales on the back of an airborne dragon.

The roof, like all elements of T3, has been done on a grand scale, encompassing 32 hectares with a maximum width of 800 metres. The roof will shelter 99 hectares of ground space and at night, lights red, yellow and orange in colour will be visible through the triangular windows in the Terminal’s ceiling.

The Terminal’s roof lights run in a north–south direction, with the intention of helping arriving passengers become oriented; the skylights on the roof face southeast to maximize the amount of sunlight entering from above.

A huge bronze jar will be placed at the southern part of the T3 building, which is named Men Hai Ji Xiang, meaning “a sea of happiness before the door.” It is modelled after jars in the Forbidden City. In ancient times, huge water jars were placed in front of palaces, their owners hoping that with a “sea” by the door, they would have no worry about fire.

Along the middle line of the second floor there is a nine-dragon design, resembling the Nine-Dragon Wall in the imperial winter palace, now Beihai Park.

The Summer Palace is mimicked in miniature. A water-side pavilion and corridors, similar to those in Beihai Park, stand outside and are decorated with Chinese ink paintings and calligraphy.

To the east of the second floor is a garden in the same style as that found south of the Yangtze River, featuring pools, bridges and a waterfront, though much smaller in size.

nspired by the Grand Waterworks (Da Shui Fa) in Yuanmingyuan, the Old Summer Palace, a four-floored water spring will be built in the centre of the duty-free shopping area at the new terminal.

In the T3 building, passengers will see about ten cultural and historical landscapes with the characteristics of Chinese imperial architecture and geomantic omens. Transfer passengers may take free rides in trains from T3A to T3B, enjoying all the scenery while on board the train.