New Gadukdo Airport: Public Infrastructure on Gaduk Island 2026

New Gadukdo Airport has won an international design competition to build a new airport on Gaduk Island. The site lies 40 kilometers southwest of Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport endorsed the proposal. It will handle 17 million passengers annually by 2040 and 23 million by 2065. The design integrates continuous operations, economic development, smart technologies, and sustainability through direct interaction with the marine ecosystem. The Chicago Athenaeum awarded it the 2025 International Architecture Award.

Circular water feature and concentric ceiling structure inside New Gadukdo Airport terminal, reflecting marine-inspired design. — The central atrium of the New Gadukdo Airport features a circular water basin mirroring the undulating ceiling, designed to evoke oceanic rhythms while enhancing passenger circulation. (Image © Zaha Hadid Architects)

Marine-Inspired Structure

The terminal dubbed The Wave features a roof that mimics ocean undulations. These curves radiate outward from a central core into the landscape. Its X shaped layout minimizes aircraft taxiing distances and cuts carbon emissions. Solar-integrated canopies reinforce sustainability targets. This approach treats architectural design as a tool for embedding infrastructure within ecological systems.

Exterior view of New Gadukdo Airport terminal with undulating wooden facade and curved roofline, set against mountainous coastal backdrop. — The terminal’s flowing timber canopy echoes coastal topography while sheltering passenger drop-off zones. (Image © Zaha Hadid Architects)

Material Efficiency and Functionality

New Gadukdo Airport uses a hybrid structure of reinforced concrete and steel. Advanced building materials help generate renewable energy. Interior green zones and daylighting strategies improve passenger experience. These features follow interior design standards for high-capacity transit facilities. The choices reflect current priorities in global news on resilient infrastructure.

Aerial rendering of New Gadukdo Airport’s X-shaped terminal and circular central hub, surrounded by runways and green spaces. — The X-shaped terminal layout minimizes aircraft taxiing distances while integrating a central circular plaza with water features and landscaping. (Image © Zaha Hadid Architects)

A Model for Future Infrastructure

New Gadukdo Airport redefines construction by merging operational performance with environmental responsiveness. It strengthens the role of cities and urban planning in coastal contexts. The project shows how sustainability can anchor large-scale infrastructure. It aligns with global dialogues featured in architectural events. This relevance supports contemporary editorial discourse.

Architectural Snapshot
The design transforms infrastructure into a dialogue between engineering and the coastal environment.

Interior of terminal featuring a sculptural wooden ceiling and central reflective disc, surrounded by greenery and passenger circulation. — The terminal’s layered timber canopy and suspended reflective element create spatial rhythm while integrating natural light and vegetation for passenger comfort. (Image © Zaha Hadid Architects)

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

The development of New Gadukdo Airport follows patterns of centralized decision making and high-stakes infrastructure funding. Ministry approvals, projected passenger growth, and sustainability mandates constrain design options. Economic pressures return on investment, operational efficiency, and carbon reduction targets drive X shaped layouts and integrated renewable systems. Technical tools, including advanced modeling and prefabrication methods, standardize material efficiency. Repeated human behaviors, such as prioritizing high-throughput mobility and minimizing taxiing times, shape terminal massing. The coastal location imposes regulatory and environmental frameworks that enforce interaction with the marine ecosystem. The terminal is the logical outcome of centralized institutional priorities + efficiency driven economic pressures + predictive technical tools, translating human and systemic behaviors into its operational and spatial configuration.