Hennebery Eddy’s approach to designing for airports focuses on operational return-on-investment, thoughtful material and system selection, daylighting, and most importantly, centering people in our designs. Associate Beth Evanson Makhoul, aviation architect/planner; associate Leif Halverson, project architect/design leader; and project architect Galen Whalen, sustainable design expert, discuss how they balance technical requirements and the needs of airport staff and passengers in our aviation design practice.
What role does daylight play in airport environments?
Daylight is important in airports, particularly for those traveling across time zones struggling with jet lag and for staff frequently working odd hours. Passengers and staff often spend long hours inside, and daylight plays an essential role in regulating circadian rhythms. We recognize that well-regulated circadian rhythms are closely linked to well-being, so in addition to impacts to passengers, we are mindful of how sunlight impacts the people working in the terminals – gate agents, ticketing agents, TSA officers, and other airport staff. We design with their comfort in mind, aiming to reduce “hotspots” of glare they might experience, especially for those working long durations in fixed positions.
We know how exciting it can be to view aircraft up close from the terminal building — or land and immediately see the landscape of our new environment — and for that, expansive views to the outdoors are needed. Meanwhile, we also want to balance the need for daylight and views with potential challenges — like low, direct rays during winter — to maximize comfort without sacrificing energy performance
How do you balance energy performance with occupant comfort?
Balancing energy performance with occupant comfort can be challenging. In colder climates, we often want to maximize heat gain from direct solar rays during winter, but we need to be mindful of where that sunlight falls. If it hits a workstation, a tablet or mobile screen, or even someone’s eyes, it can cause glare and discomfort. This is where the value of modeling analysis comes in — we use daylight and energy modeling to find the best ways to optimize daylight and views without compromising comfort. After evaluating design ideas with analysis modeling, we revise the proposed design to respond to the insights gained from the analysis. Then we repeat the analysis modeling and fine-tune the design, iteratively, until we find an optimal balance between daylight, views, and comfort.
This series of models shows how curtains covering glazing represents baseline glare reduction; the addition of fins reduces glare by 55%, while adding electrochromic glass and fins reduces glare by 85% compared to curtains alone.
How does terminal building orientation factor into the design?
Building orientation relative to the sun and surroundings strongly affects potential strategies for daylight optimization and for mitigating energy demand and glare. At most airports, terminal building orientation is highly influenced by factors like runway orientation and the airfield, site constraints, or operational needs, so it is typically rather prescribed. Even within these parameters, however, we can optimize how we use natural light and manage thermal comfort for occupants. Despite the building orientation often being pre-defined, we look closely at how the interior might receive or be protected from direct sun. For instance, at airports in warmer climates like Southern California, we might design the building’s facades to minimize direct sun intake, or insolation, during peak hours of occupancy while allowing in ample natural light to reduce reliance on artificial lighting.
Our approach, then, is to work within the orientation constraints and leverage design strategies — like shading, window placement, curtainwall system design, and how light reflects in a space — to make the most of natural light while mitigating heat gain. Our goal is to balance the inherent constraints of airport terminal design with creative solutions to improve energy efficiency and passenger experience.
What is your top takeaway for airport design?
Our key takeaway is to focus on the human experience — for both passengers and staff alike. It’s important to consider the needs of staff, especially those working long hours in fixed positions and to explore ways to make their work environment the most comfortable — through thoughtful control of sunlight, artificial lighting, acoustics, ergonomics, and ventilation, while also being mindful about how they move around and use their space throughout the day. Energy models and daylight models give us data about how the building will perform, but it is important to pair that information with an iterative design process to support occupant health and happiness — we design for people.
Editor’s Note: This post was updated and edited for clarity.