Photo: Ghafari Associates
Since American Airlines’ Hangar 2 at O’Hare International Airport was near the site of a future runway, Ghafari Associates LLC designed the building with a low profile and, concurrently, 70-foothigh clearance to fit aircraft. Also, because it was built near active taxi lanes, construction was staged to have minimal impact on landing aircraft.
To further minimize disturbance to aircraft landing systems and, at the same time, provide daylighting, Ghafari Associates designed the top portion with translucent wall panels. The translucent panels lessen light reflection for aircraft landing on nearby runways.
At the top 40 feet of outer walls, Crown Corr Inc. installed Kalwall Corp.’s translucent wall panels. There are two color tones of translucent panels. There’s a 30-foot, upper, lighter band and 10-foot, lower, darker band. The upper band’s translucent panels are Crystal SW and the lower band’s panels are custom Gray SW. On the interior of both bands, there are translucent panels in White Type 25.
Below the translucent panels, Ghafari Associates designed vertical, Classic Pewter metal wall panels, supplied by CENTRIA. On the bottom 80 feet of outer walls on north and south wing wall towers, as well as a parapet, Crown Corr vertically oriented and installed CENTRIA’s 2 3/4-inch-thick Versawall insulated metal panels (IMPs) in Classic Pewter.
In contrast to the dark gray, Classic Pewter panels, the hangar doors are a lighter Classic Silver. At the hangar door jambs at the east and west sides of the building, Ghafari Associates designed horizontal, Classic Silver metal wall panels in a rounded shape akin to the cockpit end of an airplane.
At hangar door jambs, Crown Corr installed CENTRIA’s Formawall Dimension Series 3-T IMPs in custom Classic Silver. The panels are sized on the building in a concave shape that completes an oval-like, overall shape of the doors. The panels are also oriented horizontally, which corresponds with horizontal panels on the hangar’s doors and complements their horizontal movements.
The hangar doors are set back from jamb walls. Each door section is stepped back from one another, which allows the doors to slide into the bases of the east and west wing wall towers.
John Nimry, senior aviation architect at Ghafari Associates, says, “CENTRIA allowed us to accomplish unique details in our design, and maintain panel integrity and all sustainability properties. The CENTRIA panels integrated well with the translucent panels, and having the CENTRIA team working with us from the start afforded us to extend parameters and reach the best solution for our design intent.”
Additionally, to maximize water protection under canopies at the east and west sides of the building, Crown Corr installed CENTRIA’s IW-10A single-skin, concealed fastener metal soffit panels in Classic Silver. The panels are oriented in a north/south direction.
“The CENTRIA panels’ durability and flexibility of length and thickness allowed us to create more than a big box, and have visual details and an aesthetic exterior to make it a comfortable place for employees to come work,” Nimry says.
The 194,000-square-foot, double-wide body aircraft maintenance hangar has dual entries. In addition to the hangar space, it houses a general back shop, component staging area and storage areas. The project met Chicago Department of Aviation’s sustainable airport guidelines.
