ATL Concourse D Widening
Project Stats
- Location
Atlanta, Georgia
- Size
225,000 SF
- Market
- Expertise
Making room
The most traveled airport in the world, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is embarking on an ambitious project to enhance Concourse D. Originally built in the 1980s for small regional aircraft, the narrowest of all ATL concourses has small gates and few amenities. When the airport received $1.4 billion for an expansion project to widen the concourse, Corgan in partnership with Good Van Slyke Architecture was enlisted to facilitate the planning, architecture, and interior design. The expansion will increase capacity and modernize the concourse to accommodate larger airplanes as well as regional jets for the Delta hub. The expansion will increase the building size by 60 percent, resulting in improved operational efficiency.
Enhancing circulation and passenger experience
The new space will mean expanded food and beverage options for travelers, provide larger restrooms, and offer more spacious traveler waiting areas. The Concourse design will strengthen existing foundations to prepare for the long-span structural steel with a single row of interior columns adjacent to the central passenger circulation. Glass curtain wall and metal-clad building envelopes with newly envisioned gate portals allow much easier wayfinding compared to the existing cramped and dark interior environment.
Sustainability has been incorporated into the design via higher ceilings and 14-foot-tall self-tinting smart windows which will reduce heat and glare while offering ample natural daylight and sprawling views. Concourse D’s single-column design approach optimizes a 20-foot-wide central circulation along the spine of each pier allowing for maximum sight lines to enhance the passenger journey.
An ingenious solution: modular construction
To minimize disruptions and maintain consistent revenue, the complex renovations will be conducted in several phases and will employ an innovative method of modular construction - keeping the airport fully operational and significantly reducing time and manpower. Giant modular sections prefabricated offsite are transported by high-tech equipment and trailers to comprise the concourse core and shell. Functioning as building blocks, the 25-foot steel modules are inserted into frames, and later the project will demolish the concourse piers down to the superstructure and design from within the interior.
This is the first time the airport has used this type of modular design and construction, which results in a tremendous cost savings, shaving several years off construction which slated for completion in three years. In April 2024, the modular pieces were put in place, marking a new era of innovation in modern airport design.
