Ingenuity Spring 2018

4 Pond | Pondco.com Design Collaboration is Key Pond has extensive experience designing and engineering all types of ATCT projects– from new construction to major modifications, from life safety upgrades to seismic improvements and total modernizations – the team is adept at “translating” complex subject matter into understandable terms to communicate ana l yses , des i gn concept s and construction concerns to aviation professionals and local city representatives. During the initial design process, the team meets with stakeholders to discuss important issues such as life safety, architectural details, design concepts, utility systems. Generally, the end user of any ATCT will have very specific requirements, and a key challenge for us is managing their input. What comes out of these collaborative meetings are a set of drawings that are inclusive of the airport’s and controller’s needs to safely manage the air traffic they are responsible for. Additionally, the design is within the stated budget and meets all local, national and FAA codes and criteria. Function Follows Form….. Structurally Speaking Although ATCTs have a fairly consistent layout, they differ in many ways, especially regarding the structural and wind loads they must withstand. Most local, regional or military control towers use what is called an occupied shaft. As you ascend the tower, the shaft portion will contain usable spaces such as offices, classrooms, break rooms and locker rooms. Due to their shorter ceiling heights, these can be designed with a more creative approach and constructed with different and possibly locally-sourced materials such as structural steel, site cast concrete, etc. Design-wise, occupied shaft towers are not as tall as their commercial counterparts, so the lower wind pressure allows the exterior skin to range from a metal stud framed envelope to metal panels or stucco, etc. As with all towers, the cab at the top offers a 360-degree unobstructed view. Commercial towers typically utilize an unoccupied shaft layout, which is generally taller, slender and offers fewer structural design options. These are more likely to be made of precast concrete sections forming a ring that serves to reinforce the entire shaft height. In the upper spaces of this type of tower, the cab and its support levels are more commonly structured using steel supports that transition the loads to the tower shaft. Whichever building shaft style is utilized, the structural design must consider the wind loads.. This requires very specific structural computer modeling coupled with tried and true wind tunnel testing. Physical models of the designs are built to scale and tested to emulate various TO NEW HEIGHTS with Airport Traffic Control Towers When airport traffic control towers (ATCT) need to be renovated, retrofitted, redesigned, reengineered or newly built, Pond is the one to call. Our Architects, Engineers and Planners have decades of experience to tackle this challenging building type. But what makes these tall & narrow structures so special? Why does it take a specific expertise? To answer these questions, let’s explore how these projects evolve through design collaboration, form and function, careful code considerations, permitting and safety considerations. POND RISES