Features include fireplaces, warm lighting and large windows with views of the Teton Range. renovated and the expanded Jackson Hole Airport in Wyomingwhich is the only commercial airport in an American national park.
Located in the mountainous Grand Teton National Park in the western part of the state, the airport was built in the 1930s and has undergone various changes over the decades.
Around 2009, it received a major update from the Denver office of the global studio. Genslerwith Jackson-based CLB Architects working as a local assistant architect.
In recent years KLB acted as the design architect for a series of renovations and extensions spanning five phases. Miller DunwiddieA Minneapolis firm served as the executive architect.
The project was designed to fit into the landscape and “facilitate the flow of 21st century travellers” while respecting the strict area and height restrictions set by the national park.
According to the agency, the facility is the only commercial airport located within a U.S. national park. the federal agency that oversees parks.
The work included a new restaurant/bar, expanded waiting area, two additional gates, a gift shop and a renovated baggage claim area with retail space, all housed in an L-shaped terminal with a total floor area of 125,000 square feet (11,613 square meters).
“The design solutions promote an easy, carefree travel experience through open floor plans and corridors with good views, as well as abundant glazing framing the runways and the Teton Mountain range beyond,” said CLB Architects.
The interior finishes are a combination of natural and industrial materials, including polished concrete, quartzite and timber – all designed to withstand heavy use, as the airport handles 800,000 passengers every year.
To create the structural system, the team used lightweight steel and Douglas fir. glued beams and rough-hewn log columns. Structural supports should have an “elegant and minimal presence.”
In addition to the natural light coming through the large windows, the terminal has downlights, uplights and VEL accents that create a feeling of warmth.
“Indirect, upward lighting creates a dramatic, atmospheric ambience that contrasts with the typical cold fluorescent lighting of airport institutional spaces,” the team said.
Throughout the site, the team combined elements of residential design with a tourist center.
“We wanted the space to feel more like a residential space rather than a commercial space,” the team said.
On the north side of the terminal, where passengers wait to board their planes, the studio created a “living room” with comfortable furniture, commissioned artwork and a monumental fireplace.
Glass walls are lined with polished concrete benches with leather seats, where visitors can watch planes take off and land. The waiting area also features a takeaway snack stand and a casual restaurant with a fireplace.
The terminal is designed to be highly flexible, so the space can be reconfigured as needed. The airport currently has an underground area of about 3,000 square feet (279 square meters) that has been designed as a “flexible space.”
CLB was also involved in two other projects at the airport: the construction of a private terminal and three hangars.
Other U.S. airport projects include the ZGF-designed airport expansion project. Portland International Airportwhich has a massive wooden roof and is planned to be very Sculptural air traffic control tower in Columbus, Indiana, designed by Marlon Blackwell Architects.
Photo taken Matthew Millman.
Project loans:
Design Architect and Responsible Architect for Stages 3-7: CLB Architects
CLB Team: Kevin Burke (Partner), Cary Lakeman (Senior Project Manager), Steve Yacoub (Project Manager)
Executive Architect for Stages 3-7: Miller Dunwiddie
Interior design: TruexCullins (restaurant and hold room)
Contractor: Wadman Corporation
Civil Consultant: Jviation
Geotechnical Engineer and Well Design: Nelson Engineering
Civil Engineer: KL&A
Mechanical engineer, electrician, plumber, technologist: Michaud, Cooley, Erickson
Lighting: Helius Lighting Design
Catering: Marshall Association
Life, Safety, Accessibility: Jensen Hughes
Acoustic Engineer: Wave engineering
Client: Jackson Hole Airport
Owner's representative: KLJ Engineering