Envelope Design in Airports

Building

Envelope

in Airport

Design

Airport, Skin, Envelope

zahra Bahar Saghaei,

Zahrasadat Mirian Hosseinabadi

Advisor: Dr. Wayne Place

ARC 500 – Airport Studio

ARC 500 – Advanced Studio, Airport Design

Airport – Skin - Envelope

1

Abstract:

Skin, the surface of exchange

Design of the envelope for an airport building

A building's envelope, also known as its enclosure or facade, must reconcile

many requirements - ventilation, solar and heat gain, glare control, daylight levels,

thermal insulation, water management, materials, assembly, sound and pollution

control- making its design a complicated balancing act. However, the integration of

environmental systems into a clear, comprehensive and elegant design solution must

be synthesized and be an integral part of the design process.

In order to get to a better understanding of how the envelope should be in an

airport building we first need to realize the characteristics of this specific building type;

design of an airport usually involves vast open-plan spaces, huge structures covering

long spans, and wide exterior facades which makes building envelope one of the most

significant parts of the airport design. Most importantly, airport building design is

involved with functional criteria in a way that form finding phase of the design process

should not be an opposition to functionality. At the same time, form finding phase is

inseparable part of building envelope design. to sum up, functionality, form ,and

building envelope can be considered three consecutive fundamental aspects of

design process for airport.

Criteria for an overall building envelope design strategy is based on considering

the context of place, scale, performance, and time; and in order to get to a holistic

design of a building envelope elements such as air, water, heat, materials, daylighting

and energy-frame crises facing current practices must be taken into account. 1

However; in design of building envelops for airports we might need to consider

criteria which are different from other common building types; cost efficiency and low-

energy design are usually inevitable parts of envelope design; but, in construction of

monumental structures like airports, other criteria might be of more importance.

In this article, we research the design and construction of building envelopes in

selected precedents. The employed strategies and the design of the envelope in

various buildings will be presented and evaluated based on the criteria depicted in

the chart below. This research aims to introduce a guideline for designing a sufficient

building envelope in airport construction. (durability, high- tech design, outstanding

features, memorable design )

1 (Jenny Lovell, 2010)



2

Contents:

Buro Happold’s façade-engineering team diagrammed how the elements of a

multidisciplinary, integrated building envelope strategy are interrelated.

Jenny Lovell, Building Envelopes an integrated approach,2010



3

Abstract

1- Construction Phase Considerations

1-1- Material: transparency/ translucency/ opacity

1-2- Translucent materials

1-3- Innovation: Corrugated glass as improvement to the structural resistance of glass2

2- Design Phase Considerations:

2-1- Building physics

2-1-1- Ventilation

2-1-2- Solar gain control

2-1-3- Thermal insulation

Solar shadings

Thermal bridges

Heat train

Heat mirror

Glare control

2-1-4- Daylighting

2-2- Structural Design

2-3- Acoustic Design

2-4- Fire Safety

2-5- Sustainability

2-6- Durability

2-7- Security

2-9- Buildability

2-10- Maintenance Strategies

2-11- Budget Costing

2-12- Architectural design

2-13- weather performance

3- Building Envelopes – Holistic approach for design

3-1- Air: Flow and ventilation

3-2 - Heat: Gain and Loss

3-3- Water: systems and collections

3-4- Materials: assemblies and installation

2 Rob Nijsse, 2009



4

3-5- Daylighting: Comfort and control

3-6- Energy: Minimizing and Maximizing

4- Some Integrated Ideas for Design of an Envelope:

4-1- Choices of materials in the façade

4-2- Curtain Walls

4-3- Double skin facades

5- Case studies

Conclusion

References



5

1- Construction Phase Considerations:

1-1- Material: transparency/ translucency/ opacity

Large material palette includes: concrete, stone, ETFE, aluminum, glass, steel

1-1-1- Translucent materials:

As opposed to transparent glass, which allows the direct transmission of incident light rays,

translucent materials can absorb, disperse, and amplify light, creating a hybrid condition

which is neither transparent nor opaque but may embody qualities of both. These materials

resolve the seemingly paradoxical combination in a single element of the properties of

abundant light transmission, on one hand, and obscuration of view, on the other. Through

various fabrication techniques- sandblasting, acid-etching, ceramic fritting, laminating,

and casting- glass may be transformed from a putatively invisible, transparent surface to

a translucent material with depth and presence. Building envelopes- or skins- that utilize

translucency may do so for variety of reasons, both practical and poetic: to maximize

natural light to building’s interior by day, to outwardly illuminate a building at night, to

provide privacy, to evoke a meditative or serene atmosphere, to infuse the architecture

with a sense of mystery or ambiguity.3

1-1-2- Innovation: Corrugated glass as improvement to the structural resistance of glass4

By deforming or moulding a flat panel into a corrugated panel a great

improvement in strength and stiffness is achieved. This strategy is applied to the design of

facades in order to achieve smaller thickness of structural glass elements and thereby

create surprisingly shaped façade surfaces and lower building costs.

2- Design Phase Considerations:

2-2- Building physics:

2-7-1- Ventilation

Having a degree of natural ventilation can be very efficient and effective in expanding the

comfort zone in some buildings, however it may not be the first priority in airport design. Naturally-

ventilated buildings can occur by conscious design of an envelope in which natural ventilation

strategies have been considered.

3 Scott Murray, Translucent Building Skins 4 Rob Nijsse, 2009



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2-7-2- Solar gain control

Whether we are dealing with airport design or residential, Different shading devices, different

choices of controlling materials, and various strategies enables building envelopes to have some

level of control to prevent large amount of solar gain. Especially in commercial buildings that

cooling loads are noticeably bigger that heating loads. In airports, natural light should be provided

in the spaces and glare should be controlled at the same time. Excessive amount of solar gain

can noticeably increase thermal load of the building.

2-7-3- Thermal insulation

Of utmost important energy controls in buildings is having thermal insulation. There should be

proper insulation in the airport envelope to make it energy consumptive. In this regard we can

consider these determinants:

Heat train

Heat mirror: Heat Mirror technology is based upon a very thin coating

which reflects heat back to its source but lets the light in the space. 5 The

number of film layers varies upon the building type that we are designing

an envelope for.

Thermal bridges:

Thermal bridges are junctions where insulation is not continuous and causes

heat loss. 6

Solar shadings: Solar shading controls the amount of heat and light admitted

to a building. By doing so, solar shading devices can offer energy saving in

various areas. They can reduce the need for heating or air conditioning by

maintaining a more even temperature despite varying climatic conditions. They can also

cut the amount of energy required for lighting, by admitting more light during overcast

conditions for example.7

2-7-4- Glare control: At present, the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) defines glare as one

of two conditions:

Too much light

Excessive contrast, meaning the range of luminance in the field of view

is too great

Whether designing lighting or daylighting, the principal objective is to ensure that

there is the right amount of light with appropriate limits to glare.

2-7-5- Daylighting:

One of the most important factors in airport design is to implement daylighting strategies.

5 http://www.southwall.com/southwall/Home/Products/Commercial/HeatMirrorInsulatingGlass.html 6 http://www.isover.com/Q-A/Implementation/What-is-a-thermal-bridge 7 http://www.es-so.com/en/Solar-shading



7

2-8- Structural Design

Structural design is an integral part of the building design and specifically in airports in plays a pivotal

part. Structural design in building envelope involves the design of the claddings, glass facade and

also in buildings with unconventional roof structures -such as airports- the structure of the roof is

usually integrated into the design of the envelope.

2-9- Acoustic Design

The main noise paths are roofs, walls, windows, door and penetrations. Sufficient control

ensures space functionality and is often required based on building use and local municipal codes.

2-10- Fire Safety

In designing the building envelope, issues to address in developing a successful fire protection design

usually include:

Construction type, allowable height, and area

Exposures/separation requirements

Fire ratings, materials, and systems

Occupancy types

Interior finish

Exit stairway enclosure

2-11- Sustainability:

The key criterion for sustainability is energy efficiency.

Energy efficient buildings are characterized by low

energy consumption… energy efficient concept for

building envelopes serve a forward-looking double

purpose: they save energy and generate energy. Other

issues such as material efficiency, process efficiency can

be considered vital in terms of sustainability as well. The

world need building envelopes that deliver optimum

energy and building efficiency throughout their entire life cycle. To succeed, this requires highly

efficient planning, construction and operating processes. 8

8 Hindrichs. Heusler (Eds.), Facades – Building Envelopes for the 21st century. 2010

Hindrichs. Heusler (Eds.), Facades –

Building Envelopes for the 21st century.

2010



8

2-12- Durability:

The design life of a building’s envelope will be less than that of its structure but greater than that of its

internal building systems. For an architect to properly consider the life cycle and maintenance of an

envelope’s materials, they must create a façade that is accessible and that has the ability to be

maintained. Over the life span of a building, parts and assemblies will need to be repaired or

replaced.9 In the design of a building envelope, materials and components should be accessible and

able to be well-maintained. Also durability depends on material choice, finish, quality of design, and

construction. These elements should be specified based on the intended life span of the building, for

instance airports usually are built to last for a long time. Therefore durability can be considered vital in

design of an airport envelope.

2-13- Security:

Considering security standards is another important factor specially in airport design. The envelope

of the building should secure the safety standards required for an airport.

5-9- Buildability:

Buildability and considering the phases of constructing the assembly is another important aspect of

the envelope design. Different methods of fabrication and new approaches such as prefabrication

and modular design might be considered.

9 Jenny Lovell, Building Envelopes an integrated approach

Hindrichs. Heusler (Eds.), Facades – Building Envelopes for the 21st century. 2010



9

5-10- Maintenance Strategies:

Maintenance plays an important role in design of the building components; considering the life-

span of materials; how they will be changed or replaced in case of being damaged and also

choosing material based on the function of the building are important.

5-11- budget costing:

No one wants a super expensive building façade when it is not necessary. Designing a wall system

which meets all the above-mentioned requirements within budget is an issue that should be

considered. Although in some particular project10 client might ask for fancy expensive materials and

assemblies that can be part of the design program, finishing the design and construction within

budget is what makes the design successful.

5-12- Architectural design:

Far from being just a decorative and fancy, building envelope design requires an integrated

approach for architects to consider all the above-mentioned categories. Use of technology,

constructability and life cycle consideration are issues that are as important aesthetic aspect of

architectural design of envelopes.

“There is an additional obligation of these combined components11– to reflect an aesthetic

sensibility for the delight of users, while also meeting pragmatic requirements. This is what makes

a building into architecture.”

(Jenny Lovell, 2010)

5-13- weather performance

5-14- cladding systems

6- Building Envelopes – Holistic approach for design

Ever growing and fast pace technology era requires an architectural design that looks toward future.

Over the past one hundred years, the design of a typical building envelope has radically changed

from a monolithic mass to a series of layers, each with a specific, pragmatic task. In addition to offering

an external and internal face to the building, these layers need to repel rainwater, control water vapor,

retain heat or coolness, and handle air transmission. These layers also tend to be more lightweight and,

rather than relying on building mass to insulate, employ a supplemental insulation layer when climate

requires it. 12Building envelopes for the 21st century should meet the requirements of different categories

in the design process:

10 These building are mostly trying to act as a monumental or memorial architecture. 11 (structure, repelling rain water, controlling water vapor, retaining heat or coolness, and handling air transmission) 12 Jenny Lovell, Building Envelopes an integrated approach



10

- air,

- heat,

- water,

- material,

- daylighting,

- energy (maximizing and minimizing)13

3-1- Air: Flow and ventilation

Wind and air movement on the surface of a building generate differential pressures that drive air

through gaps and openings, intentionally or otherwise, to ventilate a building. Depending on the

varied and dynamic conditions of the external environment, climate, and the requirements of

internal space, a building’s envelope is the surface area through which ventilation can occur, and it

must always act as a barrier to unwanted air leakage.14

Two main issues in designing in regard to air:

Air exchange for ventilation

Air barriers in the wall assembly that prevent loss of heated or chilled air to the

exterior

Potential: In this regard one potential for designing an envelope is to create an intermediate

microclimate zone can be utilized to introduce cool, fresh air into a building and provide gathering

areas for users. 15

13 Jenny Lovell, Building Envelopes an integrated approach 14 Jenny Lovell, Building Envelopes an integrated approach 15 In tall buildings these zones are often called “sky garden”, but the same principle can be seen in low rise building

This diagram articulates the problems related to

air that need to be addressed by the building

envelope: the variable factors of the outside

condition – climate, orientation, adjacencies

(such as traffic), and time (day/night/season)-

together with the expectations of the interior

condition- building size (height and depth),

program, systems integration, and user

expectation. We have come to expect a

constant internal condition that can be

provided by air conditioning.

(Jenny Lovell, Building Envelopes an integrated

approach)



11

3-2- Heat: Gain and Loss

Envelope of a building functions as skin meaning that it acts as a zone of thermal exchange for our

body. Modern buildings have developed light weight envelopes which have a low thermal storage

capacity and they rely on layers of insulation to resist heat loss.

Our buildings are leaky in terms of heat transfer and codes just require the builders to meet some

minimums whereas buildings can maximize their performance by integrated approach of designing

the wall section.

In this regard, architects tendency to design transparent buildings is another issue which brings with it

serious challenges from solar heat gain or loss to the outside.

Potentials when facing with this issue in envelope design is:

Right orientation to balance solar heat gains as required. Generally it is recommended to

design a building with greater north and south areas of envelope where possible.

Considering low surface-to-volume ratio when designing the form and massing of the building.

High performance glazing (with low U-values)

1- Detail photograph showing the vent in the window jamb:

this vent allows exhaust air to be drawn up the solar flues by

the stack effect.

2- Detail photograph showing the solar air flues and windows

of Jessop West’s building envelop.

3- This diagram shows the integration of window, venting, and

solar flues for Jessop West. Incoming air (blue) is drawn in

through the attenuator under the window to a vent

between the outer and inner window units, where it can

either be allowed into the occupied room by opening the

inner window or utilized to draw heat up through the

chimney through stack effect (red).

(Jenny Lovell, Building Envelopes an integrated approach)



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Continuity of the air barrier

Good thermal performance of solid or opaque areas of the envelope.

3-3- Water: systems and collections

A building envelope must be considered as part of a continuous and varying surface condition,

able to redirect or collect water for reuse/recycling.

3-4- Materials: assemblies and installation

Façade materials that are commonly being used in buildings are stone, clay, concrete, timber,

metal, glass, plastic. In terms of assembly modern building envelopes consist of series of additive

layers supported in some way by a primary structural system. (transparent and solid elements)

They can be purposefully combined as one layer or

Separate from structure of a building that is generally called curtain walls.

Heat flow through a building envelope into an enclosed

space will vary depending on climate, season, daily high

and low temperatures, orientation, and solar exposure.

Thermal energy moves from hot to cold through radiation,

convection, and/or conduction.


The depth of a building’s envelope and shading devices (as depicted as part of the

envelope system on this diagram) can be exploited to address or utilize potential solar heat

gain as well as maximize daylighting potential, In addition to direct systems, integrated

building envelope design can coordinate with engineered alternative sources of heating

and cooling (such as geothermal heating or below ground labyrinth walls to cool intake

air), the site’s landscape strategy and specific microclimate, and their effect on a building’s

internal environmental as a holistic approach.




13

Curtain walls can also be classified by their method of fabrication and installation as:

o Stick system: the components of assembly are constructed piece by piece on-site

o Unitized system is composed of large units that are assembled and glazed in a

factory, shipped to the site, and erected on the building’s structure. The idea of

modularity is evident in this system and is being widely used for airport structures as it

was used in Stansted and Hong Kong airport by Norman Foster.

These systems should be considered in the process of envelope design for airport because they

influence the functionality and buildability and in broader range they can control the whole identity

and shape of the airport building.

3-5- Daylighting: Comfort and control

Daylighting- the illumination of a space by sunlight- is not purely a matter of quantity. Decades of

research have shown that access to sunlight increases our wellbeing, comfort, and productivity. A

building’s envelope provides daylight as well as view, color, shadow and changing environment.

The angle of the sun is different based on the location of a building. The transmission of light into

the spaces is affected not only by sun angle but also by reflection from adjacent buildings or

surfaces through the building envelope. Overshadowing buildings, a body of water, vegetation

and planting, and so on can also influence the amount of daylight penetration.

Daylight factor is the unit used when looking at daylight level. It is a measure of the effectiveness of

daylight indoors, and is calculated as a percentage ratio between illumination indoors and

outdoors on an average overcast day (with dirty windows). A DF of between 2 and 5 percent is

considered “a good balance between lighting and thermal aspects”. If a building’s DF is greater

than 5 percent, heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter through glass area are likely to

become problems.16

Shading devices usually are most effective when located outside of an envelope’s glass, on the

principle that heat gain has less impact if you can stop it from coming into the building as much as

possible.

Airport buildings usually have very deep plans which limit natural light penetration during the day

and makes these building a subject to careful consideration of daylighting strategies in very early


Stick system

Unitized system

(Jenny Lovell, Building Envelopes

an integrated approach)



14

stages. Letting light to come inside is mostly being done from both roof and walls in the airport.

Airport envelope should be designed based on this criteria.

3-6- Energy: Minimizing and Maximizing

The reduction of a building’s energy consumption should be addressed in the following order with

regard to capital and operational costs: increasing systems efficiency and reducing loads;

introducing passive systems such as massing, material specification, and solar utilization; and lastly

applying active systems such as photovoltaic panels. 17These strategies need to be addressed from

the very early stages of the design in order to be successful.

To conclude Al the above-mentioned issues are to be considered in the integrated approach of building’s

envelope design. Buildings are like human beings. They should have the ability to adapt itself to the

changing environment and successfully interact with the nature, they should be able to breath, be durable

and live. On the other hand buildings are here to serve human beings, accommodate them and maintain

their comfortable zone throughout the year. These two fundamental goals should be the main focus point

for architects and designers in order to have the optimum and self-sustained environment.

“The ultimate task of architecture is to act in favor of human beings – to interpose itself

between people and the natural environment.”

James Marston Fitch, American Building: The Forces That Shape It.

7- Some Integrated Ideas for Design of an Envelope:


The integrated design of a

building’s envelope, services, and

form is essential for good daylight

provision. The coordination of

diffuse daylight strategies during a

building’s early design stages

(through the use of light shelves or

screens, for example) and a

comprehensive understanding of

the potential light (direct, indirect,

and reflected) of a site play a part

in effective design.

(Jenny Lovell, Building Envelopes

an integrated approach)

People Natural

Environment Architecture



15

Envelope, wall, façade

Clearly classifying different methods and material that are nowadays being designed and

constructed in building envelope is a hard work. Since they can be categorized based on

different criteria for example, choice of material, assembly systems, type of system

implemented, and so forth. However in this chapter, it is tried classify some popular and efficient

systems that are now being used widely in transportation infrastructures such as airport.

4-1- Choices of materials in the façade:

Transparency, Translucency, Opacity

Stone, clay, concrete, timber, metal, glass, plastic are prevalent materials being used in façade’s

assemblies. However since airport buildings are so demanding of natural light and broad view in the

spaces, it is attempted in this article to categorize different materials and their assemblies in terms the

interaction of light and material: transparency, translucency, and opacity.

“Transparency is characterized by visual openness and the direct transmission of light, and

opacity results from the complete blockage or reflection of light, translucency is demonstrated

by materials that capture, manipulate, and disperse light…Today there is a renewed interest in

the building envelope as a site for experimentation and in translucency as an architectural

effect…Translucency is within the building skin, the interface between interior and exterior

space, that it exerts its most significant influence.”18

18 Scott Murray, Translucent Building Skins: Material Innovations in Modern and Contemporary Architecture, 2013

The dominant feature of Denver International airport is the

innovative use of translucent fabric material in roof. The interior of

DEN makes its greatest impact on the passenger experience. The

vast center of the terminal, or great hall is illuminated by natural

light filtered through the fabric roof.

(10 airports, Fentress)

Clear and

translucent

laminated

panels for Glass

facades- San

Francisco

Airport

http://www.sanfranciscosuperlimo.com/san-francisco-airport.html



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Translucent envelope - which can mainly be constructed by “marble, polycarbonate”19 - in airport

design seems that is gaining popularity. Part of the façade that is meant to provide the view can be made

out of transparent material, transparency also add reflection to the design and consequently can lift the

essence of space, however when we need light in space but not direct sun gain, it can be the best choice

to use translucent materials such as fabric as in Denver, San Francisco and San Jose by different architects.

Different choices of opaque materials are there to be used based on the concept,

location of the airport, construction process, method of fabrication process, and on-site assemblies. The

above mentioned opaque materials can be used in the envelope, interior and exterior of the building. For

19 Francisco Asensio Cerver, The Architecture of Glass: Shaping Light, 1997

Mineta San Jose Airport California: ( by

Gensler)Celebrating the area’s sunny climate and

agrarian roots. Inside, the concourse has the feel of

a sunlit paseo, with a dramatic curved translucent

roof featuring fabric panels to filter the direct

sunlight and absorb sound. On the exterior, the long

and cable-like outer layer expresses the area’s

technological design heritage while shading the

inner core of the building.

http://www.e-architect.co.uk/america/mineta_san_jose_airport.htm

Dulles International Airport,

Washington DC

Eero Saarinen

Use of transparent materials in

north and south facing elevation

of the airport while there is no

openings in the roof.

LVMH Osaka (Osaka, Japan)

Kengo Kuma and Associates

Use of translucent material in curtain wall assembly has made this

building to illuminate in the night and get light in day.

(Scott Murray, Contemporary Curtain wall Architecture, 2009)



17

instance, with regard to vernacular architecture of North Carolina, RDU airport has the dominant material of

wood in the interior spaces and that’s what is making it different and outstanding.

4-2- Curtain Walls:

A curtain wall system is an outer covering of a building in which the outer walls are

non-structural, but merely keep the weather out and the occupants in. As the curtain

wall is non-structural it can be made of a lightweight material reducing construction

costs. When glass is used as the curtain wall, a great advantage is that natural light can

penetrate deeper within the building. The curtain wall façade does not carry any dead

load weight from the building other than its own dead load weight. The wall transfers

horizontal wind loads that are incident upon it to the main building structure through

connections at floors or columns of the building. A curtain wall is designed to resist air

and water infiltration, sway induced by wind and seismic forces acting on the building,

and its own dead load weight forces.20

Infills

Infill refers to the large panels that are inserted into the curtain wall between mullions.

Infills are typically glass but may be made up of nearly any exterior building

element.Regardless of the material, infills are typically referred to as glazing, and the

installer of the infill is referred to as a glazier.

Glass, Fabric Veneer, Stone Veneer, Panels, Louvers, windows and vents. 21

20 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtain_wall 21 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtain_wall

RDU International Airport, Raleigh, NC

Fentress

Wood as dominant opaque material in the interior spaces.

http://www.e-architect.co.uk/america/raleigh_durham_international_airport.htm

Sea-Tac Airport in Seatle

Fentress

Glass and aluminum curtain wall has been chosen as wall

system for the airport, this system have created ample

natural light and broad view in interior spaces.

https://www.portseattle.org/JOBS/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.crowncorr.com/our-services/curtain-wall-systems



18

Visibility - Sun light - View



19

Trutec Building (Seoul, Korea)

Barkow Leibinger Architekten

Custom unit system with

insulating glass structurally

glazed to flat and projecting

unit frames of extruded

aluminum. (Scott Murray, Contemporary Curtain

wall Architecture, 2009)



20



21

4-3- Double skin facades:

The Double-skin facade is a system of building consisting of two skins placed in such a

way that air flows in the intermediate cavity. The ventilation of the cavity can be natural, fan

supported or mechanical. Apart from the type of the ventilation inside the cavity, the origin

and destination of the air can differ depending mostly on climatic conditions, the use, the

location, the occupational hours of the building and the HVAC strategy.

The glass skins can be single or double glazing units with a distance from 20 cm up to 2

meters. Often, for protection and heat extraction reasons during the cooling period, solar

shading devices are placed inside the cavity.

To conclude:

After going through the holistic approach and integrated process of designing an envelope,

some popular and prevalent, new systems of façade configuration that are relevant to designing

an airport have been analyzed. Decent amount of daylight and view are required in design of an

airport. The above-explained strategies can be considered reasonable for airports and that they

meet those requirements. In addition, in order to provide a good view some different choices of

materials (with transparency point of view) have been analyzed.

Translucent materials such as fabric roof or stone (i.e. marble) can be considered useful in

roof openings where we just need light and not the view. (Denver airport)

To enhance the passenger experience of the airport it might be helpful to use vernacular

material of the place where we are designing the airport in (i.e. RDU has wood in the interior).

Curtain wall system and double skin façade are gaining more and more popularity in the

design of contemporary buildings in compare to single layer façade system with limited openings.

The independent and light weight structure of these systems alongside their high R-value (good

insulation) make them reasonable from thermal and structural point of view. Therefore they can be

considered proper in airport design.

FOSTER AND PARTNERS

A Waagner-Biro double-skin façade being assembled at

One Angel Square, Manchester. The brown outer facade can be

seen being assembled to the inner white façade via struts. These

struts create a walkway between both 'skins' for ventilation, solar

shading and maintenance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-skin_facade



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CHEK LAP KOK AIRPORT (HKG) Lantau Island, Hong Kong

Area: 9,110,000 sq ft (terminal 1)-1,506,000 sq ft (terminal2)

Capacity: 56,057,751 (in 2012) passengers anually

Number of runways: 2 runways each with 12,467 ft length and the surface of asphalt

The airport has a total of 66 boarding gates.

Chek Lap Kok is planned to handle thirty five million passenger a year in 1998 and

it can expand to 87 m on full completion in 2040.

Plans and site plans: Expansion plan:



23

Plan of Departure Level Plan of Arrival s Level

Longitudinal Section



24

Model view, section detail

Building Envelope:

Foster's brilliance lies in creating a building that is almost

a kit of giant parts, enabling the terminal to be

completed on time and well within budget; 32000Prefabricated pieces shipped to the site and

assembled on site.

The skylights are glazed with toughened laminated glass, coated to minimize solar gain; they

cover some 6 percent of the floor area of the terminal.

In order to balance the daylight and at the same time reduce the use of energy, the lighting

circuits are activated by a three phase operational control system which allows a balance to be

struck with the level of daylight and creates a smooth transition between the two.

To avoid the impression of a uniformly- lit space and to add variety, certain areas are

accentuated by additional downlights installed in such areas as atrium voids, immigration and

check- in.

In the arrivals hall a different lighting strategy is adopted, using lines of direct low brightness

fluorescent fittings, direct mounted on to the concrete ceiling coffers.



25

The roof vaults comprise a series of steel shells,

each one assembled on site from components

shipped from as far as Bolton in Lancashire,

Singapore.

The vaults serve to filter and shape light- natural by

day and artificial by night.

Daylighting strategies:

- The building is fully daylit from floor to ceiling through side windows and lines of triangular

skylights in the center of each of the nine barrel-vaulted roofs.

- The natural light is diffused by suspended reflectors along the roof gangway which

provides access for maintenance, as well as support for the artificial lighting fittings.

Material:

- The dominant material in the building is glass; exterior skin of the building is mostly consist of

glass façade.

- Toughened laminated glass used for skylights

- The lattice ribs of the vaults are inset with perforated acoustic panels

Constructability:

- Building is made out of 32000 Prefabricated pieces; enabling easier and faster construction



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Fentress Bradburn Architects

Denver International Airport Denver, Colorado, US

Area: 185,800sqm

Capacity: 53,156,278 (in 2012) passengers annually

# of runways: 6 runways

# of gates: 94 attached

Type: multi-airline hub

Denver airport is a paradigm for airport design with a form that drew its inspiration from its

surroundings.

Initial design concepts investigated the best means to incorporate natural light and mimic the

angular nature of the majestic Rocky Mountains.

The vast center of the terminal, or great hall is illuminated by natural light filtered through the

fabric roof.



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Sustainability:

- Fabric roof that largely eliminates the need for artificial lighting during the day and also

removed the need for resource-intensive structural elements.

- Allows stratified hot air to escape by radiating out through the fabric


- The vast center of the terminal, or great hall is illuminated by natural light filtered through

the fabric roof.

- The integration of skylights with fabric in the roof.



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Material:

- Dominantly glass façade for exterior

- Fabric roof: tensile membrane structure consisting of a Teflon- coated fiberglass membrane

reinforced by high- strength steel cables.

Constructability:

- Fabric roof, rather than a traditional roof, would be easier to maintain and construct.

Priorities:

- Constructability/ Light/ Heat Flow

ARC 500 – Advanced Studio Research

Skin - Architecture - Airport

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VON GERKAN, MARG & PARTNER

STUTTGART AIRPORT

Germany

Capacity: 9,720,877 (in 2012) passengers annually there are now four terminals with a

maximum capacity of approximately 12 million passengers

Number of runways: 1 runway with 10,974 ft length and the surface of concrete



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The architect's original idea was that the roof should formed of two layers of glass. These

would trap the warmth of the sunlight, which would then be fed through into the hall or

transformed into usable energy.

As executed, the roof is mainly solid rather transparent, with long bands of roof lights set

between each row of trees. The concourse is best seen at night when the abundance

of internal light emphasizes the building's loftiness and openness. Moreover, the

slenderness of the roof slab is all the more evident.



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- Glass façade

- Skylight

- Flexible louvers controlling the daylight

Material:

- Glass façade; Light weight panels for covering the roof

Constructability:

- Tree- like structural module helps ease of fabrication of the building components

and their installation and construction.



33

SOM

San Francisco International Airport San Francisco, California, US

Project Area: 1,800,000 sq ft




SFO is the largest airport in the San Francisco Bay Area, and the second busiest in

California, after Los Angeles International Airport.

Its form and aesthetic stem directly from functional necessity. The roof’s wing-like form

directly expresses the structural diagram of its bending forces. So the facility would

remain operational in the event of a major earthquake, SOM engineered the structure

to the highest seismic safety requirements ever imposed on an American airport

terminal.

This strategy incorporated the most ambitious use of base isolation technology.



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Daylighting Strategies:

- Skylight incorporated into the structure

- Glass Façade

- Shadings on the exterior glass facade; reducing unfavorable glare.

Maerial:

- Glass façade

- Aluminum Composite Shadings and louvers (double- skin façade)

- Translucent panels covering the skylights in the roof.



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Interior Spaces,

Skylights



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Foster and Partners

Stansted Airport London, UK

# of runways: 1runway





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- Skylight incorporated into the structural module

- Glass Façade

Material:

- transparent material for indirect skylight, light material ( 9x9 metre hyperbolic paraboloid GRP

panels) for roof covering

Constructability:

- Tree- like structural module facilitates easier and faster fabrication and construction; it consists

of skylight for indirect daylighting.



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Fentress

San Jose International Airport San Jose, CA, US

Project Area: 125,000 sq m






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- Glass façade

- Skylight

- louvers controlling the daylight; double- skin facade

Material:

- Glass façade;



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Fentress Bradburn Architects

Incheon International Airport Incheon Bay, Seoul, South Korea

Area: 550,000 sqm

Capacity: 50 million






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Skylights, glass curtainwalls, and clerestories not only save energy by bathing the

space in natural light, they also reinforce the building’s already intuitive

passenger flow.

While 55 skylights and their nearby clerestories are interspersed throughout the

passenger terminal and its attached concourses, the majority of light enters

through floor- to- ceiling glass curtain walls that line the concourses and flank

the terminal.



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- Skylight incorporated into the structural module

- Glass Curtainwalls

Material:

- transparent material for indirect skylight, glass curtainwalls, clerestories



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Platt Byard Dovell White

The New 42nd Street Studios New York, NY, US

Curtain Wall:

Stick system with extruded- aluminum mullions and low- e coated insulating glass

units; on the south façade, an external layer of perforated stainless-steel louver

blades set within an armature of painted steel.



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-Multi layered façade components -Interior view of curtain wall in dance studio



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Platt Byard Dovell White

Green-Wood Mausoleum Brooklyn, NY, US

Curtain Wall:

Custom hybrid system of preglazed units mounted in a shinglelike configuration

onto steel mullions.



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Kengo Kuma and Associates

LVMH Osaka Osaka, Japan

Curtain wall:

Hybrid system with floor- to- floor translucent panels of laminated stone and

glass preglazed to extruded- aluminum frames and mounted onto vertical steel

mullions.



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Atelier Jean Nouvel

Torre Agbar Barcelona, Spain

Curtain Wall:

Custom system of clear translucent glass louvers suspended on extruded

aluminum framing members, in front of a load- bearing reinforced- concrete

with punched windows.



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Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners

Mabeg Headquarters Soest, Germanys

The façade is clad with silver corrugated aluminum sheeting ( curved sheets for

the corners of the building) fixed to vertical aluminum rails and interrupted by

horizontal window bands 2.6 m high behind perorated aluminum sunshades.



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Conclusion:

Airports as a transport infrastructure are often huge, highly complex structures,

whose owners and operators have high expectations with regard to security,

functionality, comfort, economic efficiency and sustainability.

Their environmental and energy footprint is massive. Thus, looking beyond mere

cost consideration, architects, investors and planners need to be acutely mindful of the

welfare of future generations. The use of thermally insulated facades, intelligent sunshade

and ventilation concepts and/or the integration of photovoltaic modules on roofs and

facades can lead to significantly lower energy consumption and running costs for

decades to come.22

Building envelope can be studied according to different phases of the building

life; we divide these considerations into two groups: in chapter one; those aspects of the

building envelope which are more important in construction phase will be studied; and

in chapter two, those element that are more significant during the design part are

introduced.

In chapter three, we introduce the holistic approach toward building envelope

design considering integral elements such as air, heat, water, daylighting, and energy.

In chapter four; we try to get to a better understanding of the preferred material

and approaches for design of building envelope in an airport by introducing curtain

walls, double- skin facade and choice of material for façade.

Studying precedents helped us to understand how architects prioritize different

elements of building envelope in a building as complicated as airports.

As stated in the fifth chapter; daylighting, providing inviting and pleasant interiors

by implementing glass facades, and constructability are of top importance in choosing

the approach toward building envelope design.

Tree- like structural module would be a suitable strategy in airport building

design; it facilitates incorporating daylighting elements and also faster and easier

construction. the modular arrangement of these elements also helps to provide a

humane scale in the vast interior spaces of an airport.

22 22 Hindrichs. Heusler (Eds.), Facades – Building Envelopes for the 21st century. 2010



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References:

1- Building Envelopes an integrated approach, Jenny Lovell,2010

2- The Future Envelope 2: Architecture – Climate – Skin, Edited by Ulrich Knaack and

Tillmann Klein, 2009.

3- Translucent Building Skins, Scott Murray,

4- Building Envelopes for the 21st century, Hindrichs. Heusler (Eds.), Facades . 2010

5- 10 airports, Fentress Bradburn Architects

6- Translucent Building Skins: Material Innovations in Modern and Contemporary

Architecture,Scott Murray 2013

7- Contemporary Curtain wall Architecture, Scott Murray, 2009

8- Norman Foster Works4

9- Norman Foster Works 5, Foster and partners, 2009

10- The Architecture of Glass: shaping light, Francisco Asensio Cerver, 1997

11- Façade Construction Manual, Herzog Krippner Lang, 2004

12- Aluminum Architecture, Construction and Details, Hugues Wilquin, 2001

13- http://www.southwall.com/southwall/Home/Products/Commercial/HeatMirrorIns

ulatingGlass.html

14- http://www.isover.com/Q-A/Implementation/What-is-a-thermal-bridge

15- http://www.es-so.com/en/Solar-shading

16- https://www.portseattle.org/JOBS/Pages/default.aspx

17- http://www.crowncorr.com/our-services/curtain-wall-systems

18- http://www.sanfranciscosuperlimo.com/san-francisco-airport.html

19- http://www.e-architect.co.uk/america/raleigh_durham_international_airport.htm

20- https://www.portseattle.org/JOBS/Pages/default.aspx

21- http://www.crowncorr.com/our-services/curtain-wall-systems

22- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtain_wall

23- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-skin_facade

24- http://www.e-architect.co.uk/america/mineta_san_jose_airport.htm

Documents

Envelope Design in Airports