Pudong Airport Phase IV expansion has reached a major milestone, with work starting on the installation of a new steel roof.

The terminal in question, T3, located south of Terminals 1 and 2, is designed to handle 50 million passengers annually. Once completed, it will boost the airport's total capacity to 130 million, in line with Shanghai’s strategic air transport development goals.

The steel roof, forming the terminal's soaring, bird-like exterior, is its defining architectural highlight, Pudong airport operator Avinex said.

T3's steel structure weighs 202,000 metric tons and features major components such as curved main trusses and innovative bird-shaped columns. Each column is made of high-strength steel, with single castings weighing up to 55 tons – a first in China.

Advanced construction methods, including synchronised hydraulic jacks and BIM digital simulation, have been applied. These techniques improve efficiency, enable millimetre-level precision, and reduce high-altitude welding by nearly 40%, supporting high-quality construction.

The roof will be the new terminal’s defining architectural highlight