Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia is the world’s busiest, hosting more than 90 million travelers per year, including 10 million going to and from international destinations. So when it came to designing the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal, which opened in May 2012, planners not only wanted the new building to give passengers a pleasant respite from the stresses of modern air travel, but also to function as a wayfinding system that helped people from all over the world navigate its 1.2 million sq. ft. of space.
For that reason, the architectural design of the terminal is characterized by sweeping metallic lines and curves that subtly guide passengers through the building while evoking a feeling of flight. The intuitive sense of flow is further heightened by the open, airy spaces inside the terminal and the abundant natural light that filters through its soaring glass walls. A total of 140,000 sq. ft. of metal panels and 100,000 sq. ft. of glass were used to complete the structure.
The exterior curtain wall was designed by Harmon Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota and installed through a joint venture between Harmon and Ebony Glass & Mirror of Decatur, Georgia, with metal fabricated by Gardner Metal Systems of Acworth, Georgia. It contains 264,000 pounds of aluminum extrusions manufactured by PPG certified applicator Keymark Corp. of Lakeland, Florida. Nearly all of the extrusions are painted with Duranar XL 70-percent fluoropolymer coating.
Because it is chemically inert, the Duranar XL coating will enable the extruded panels to maintain their original metallic gray appearance throughout the life of the airport, even after decades of exposure to environmental stresses, such as chemical staining, acid rain, dirt and ultraviolet (UV) light.
Inside the terminal, Duracron coatings formulated in Bright White by PPG are used to frame wide expanses of glass and to complement the yellow walls and silvergray columns that accentuate its sunny openness. As acrylic-based, spray-applied coatings, Duracron products are designed to meet American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) 2603 specifications. They also are especially well-suited to resist the impact, marring and damage that will result from the building’s high traffic volume.
Like all new construction commissioned by the city of Atlanta, the Maynard H. Jackson International Terminal was designed with the goal of achieving an LEED® Silver certification level from the U.S. Green Building Council. Architect/Designers for the project were: Corgan Associates, Dallas/Atlanta Gateway Designers (Gresham, Smith & Partners and Duckett Design Group).
For more information on Duranar, Duracron and other architectural coatings from PPG, including infrared reflective Duranar ULTRA-Cool® and color-shifting Duranar VARI-Cool® technologies, call 1-888-PPG-IDEA (774-4332) or visit www.ppgideascapes.com.
Photo Credit: Photos by Chris Cunningham.