Weifang’s “Floating Island”

In the Weifang High-Tech Industrial Development Zone in Shandong Province, China, an air-supported sports dome brings an imaginative name to life: “Floating Island.” Built by Broadwell Air Dome for the WELSEND HEALTH WORKS sports complex, the venue takes its name from both its lightweight architectural form and the vibrant sporting life within.

Unlike the heavy structural presence of conventional buildings, the dome is supported by air. Its light, flowing silhouette resembles an island floating amid the city—a striking expression of spacious, futuristic design.

Step inside, and an entirely different world unfolds.

Badminton, tennis, and other sports come together under one roof, alongside spaces for leisure and healthy living. More than simply a sports center, Floating Island is a self-contained destination for sport and wellness.

China’s First Air Dome with a Second-Level Platform

The dome measures 105.55 meters long, 66.55 meters wide, and 23.3 meters high, covering 7,024.35 square meters and enclosing approximately 150,000 cubic meters of space.

Yet its scale is only part of what sets it apart. Its defining innovation is the introduction of a second-level platform—the first of its kind in an air dome in China.

Air-supported buildings are typically conceived as expansive, unobstructed, single-level spaces. At Floating Island, that space extends upward. The second-level platform will accommodate VIP lounges and other leisure amenities, unlocking more possibilities within the same building footprint. The result is a shift from a single-purpose sports hall to a more layered, multifunctional sport and wellness environment.

Creating this platform inside a building supported by air also demanded greater construction precision.

During construction, Broadwell’s project team used an elevated steel-cable net installation technique to control the structure’s overall tension with millimeter-level precision as the membrane took shape. Ground-anchored steel cables secured the membrane, creating a stable and reliable load-bearing system.

Smart Digital Management for Year-Round Comfort

Floating Island incorporates third-generation air dome technology: the Bias-Pro diagonal orthogonal steel cable net system. The system delivers safety and stability among the leading solutions in its class. It is designed to withstand the strong winds experienced in coastal regions.

The dome also features Broadwell’s micro-pressure oxygen technology, designed to maintain consistent temperature, humidity, and oxygen levels throughout the year. By addressing common problems in conventional sports venues—cold winters, hot summers, insufficient fresh air, and inadequate oxygen during exercise—it creates a more comfortable environment for physical activity.

Behind the scenes, an intelligent “digital brain” keeps the venue running.

The BroadSmart remote intelligent management system brings the dome’s operations into a unified digital framework. It monitors key parameters in real time, including indoor–outdoor pressure differences, temperature, humidity, lighting, equipment status, and safety alerts. This gives operators a clear view of the facility’s performance and helps them identify irregularities promptly.

The system also tracks changing weather conditions in real time, enabling operators to prepare operating strategies ahead of strong winds, snowfall, heavy rain, and other challenging weather. Together, these capabilities support a more proactive, intelligent approach to venue management.

From spatial design and environmental control to digital operations, Broadwell has integrated multiple technologies into every aspect of Floating Island. Beneath its lightweight exterior lies a robust foundation for safe, stable, comfortable, and intelligent operation.

As a key project in the Weifang High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, Floating Island is now in the final stages of interior preparations ahead of its opening. With its welcoming spaces, diverse sports facilities, and smart management systems, the venue will offer residents a new way to bring sport and wellness into everyday life.

An island supported by air is set to give rise to a new way of healthy living in Weifang.