Screenwalls Let Airport Parking Decks Take Flight
April, 2006
By John Van Horn
Screenwall panels were specified for Charlotte Douglas International Airport's new five-story, 1 million-square-foot parking deck, for their aesthetic, practical and budgetary attributes.
"We were interested in the screenwalls because they are an appropriate exterior design solution for a parking structure," said Brian Wilson, design architect with The Wilson Group of Charlotte, NC. "The screenwalls allowed for a number of things that other materials would not," he said.
"We were able to create a curved surface with the material. The perforations provided an open area, which helps with the parking structure's ventilation. And it provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance." Wilson said. "In the daytime, the ornamental cover appears solid. In the evening, it appears transparent and is theatrically illuminated to glow dark blue."
The $29 million, 3,000-space parking deck was completed in May 2005 and opened to the public in July. Parking capacity at the airport was increased by 13% - making a total of 20,400 spaces available for public use.
Approximately 60,000 square feet of perforated screenwalls were specified in 3/4-inch, 20-gauge stainless steel Econolap and Style-Rib exposed fastener profiles. The unique fabrication provides 40% open area for the effect of a translucent screen to control light and air movement, and to conceal the appearance of equipment behind the screen.
The perforated metal theme was continued on the interior of the parking deck. Screenwalls also were used to separate the elevator hoistways from the back-lighted illuminated glass panels at the elevator fronts.
"We've used metal wall panels on many other projects and have been extremely happy with the results," said Wilson. "Our sales representative, Dave Donovan, introduced us to the perforated screenwall for this project, and we discovered its many practical, aesthetic and budgetary features. Everyone is very pleased with the final result."
"The dealer and installer, Seco Architectural Systems of Stone Mountain, GA, was a great company to work with and did a wonderful job to create a beautiful facility," Donovan said.
Future parking plans at the airport include the construction of an identical deck with an additional 3,000 spaces, which is expected to be completed in 2007.
The project's architect-of-record was LS3P Associates of Charlotte. The construction manager was Turner Construction, also of Charlotte. The screenwalls were supplied by Centria.
Sidebar:
Harrisburg Airport Facility Features Stainless Steel Fabric
The new Harrisburg (PA) International Airport Multi-Modal Transportation Facility (MMTF) is more than just a parking garage. The four-floor, 1.16 million-square-foot facility not only offers 3,500 parking spaces, but also serves as a terminal for taxis, off-airport courtesy vehicles, buses and six rental car agencies.
Wrapped in Cambridge Architectural's stainless steel fabric, the facility meets ventilation requirements for parking garages. It sits next to the Harrisburg's new airport, the first one built after 9/11 to meet all post-9/11 federal regulations in design and construction.
The metal fabric selected for the exterior provides bright, open qualities to a type of structure often associated with heavy, dark precast materials. The metal fabric was installed around stairwells, parking areas and a pedestrian walkway that connects to the airport terminal.
The architect was HNTB Architecture.
Kinsley Construction was the general contractor.
And Mohawk Construction and Supply was the installer.
