ARCHITECTURAL PROJECT NOMINATED BY:
Scott Fuller, Airport Director Gulf Shores International Airport
ARCHITECTURAL PROJECT NAME NOMINATED:
New Air Traffic Control Tower
AIRPORT:
Gulf Shores International Airport, Gulf Shores, Alabama
DESCRIPTION OF WHY THIS PROJECT IS BEING NOMINATED:
New construction of Air Traffic Control Towers (ATCTs) are highly specialized projects that are rarely seen. It’s estimated that this was the first ATCT project completed in the State of Alabama within the last 30 years. This new tower will provide superior factors of safety for the air and ground operations into and out of the Airport. By involving the local community in the design process, the final product incorporated architectural elements of the area.
LIST ALL PERSONNEL/FIRMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT:
Vic Roberts, Chairman Airport Authority of the City of Gulf Shores, Alabama
Scott Fuller, Airport Director Gulf Shores International Airport
Marisa Montgomery, Assistant Airport Director Gulf Shores International Airport
Michael Cole, Project Manager Barge Design Solutions, Inc.
Pete Deeks, Engineer AJT Engineering, Inc.
Ken Frady and Luke Larson, Designers AJT Engineering, Inc.
Craig Blackburn, Vice President White-Spunner Construction, LLC
Adam Bryce, Superintendent White-Spunner Construction, LLC
Daniel Prickett, Branch Manager InterTek-PSI Engineering, Inc.
John Cook, Project Manager Audet Electric, Inc.
PROJECT SCHEDULE AND FEES:
Final Design Completed 6-18-2022
Total Fee: $514,295
NTP issued for Construction 11-2-2020
ATCT Commissioning date 11-17-2021
Total Construction Cost: $5,248,954
OTHER SPECIALTY ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION:
This project was the first ATCT in the nation to use the new FAA alternate VISTA siting procedure using virtual reality modeling. The entire airport was modeled along with the proposed tower location at the proposed eye elevation. Air Traffic Controllers then used virtual reality goggles to ensure that all movement areas on the airport were visible from the proposed tower location.
The selected site was on a mowed vacant area allowing a CATEX environmental exclusion.
The building was designed around the controller’s needs, ergonomics as well as the communications systems necessary to control the airport traffic. Carefully laid out cable and internal infrastructure passages and management allowed ease of installation and future access. The controller cab consoles were meticulously designed for the user and the placement of the communications equipment.
The efficient design packs multiple functions into a 24 ft square footprint including stairs, elevator and space for office/training and equipment rooms. The design has time proven details and shop drawings were carefully coordinated to permit a schedule friendly construction timetable resulting in less than 1% change orders.
A Rammed Aggregate Pier system was used in lieu of a deep foundation which was required to support the heavy small footprint building. The more economical Geopiers allowed the foundation to be ready weeks earlier at lower cost when compared to a deep piling foundation.
The actual tower design utilized over a million pounds of very large precast panels that were installed on the foundation and then stacked on top of each other using panel interlock keyways and steel embed plates to secure each panel to each other. This was the most cost-effective manner of construction. Other advantages include substantially shortened construction duration, very low maintenance, 30 year exterior finish using integral colored cement and the durability of concrete. All 89 precast penetrations were planned out during design so that no field drilling was required. All exterior metal including fasteners are high quality stainless steel or high tech finishes to withstand the corrosive marine environment.
Precast panels, laminated glazing, and careful detailing rates the building to withstand 174 mph hurricane force winds. One unique aspect of this tower was the vast amount sight glass and spandrel glass used to provide architectural enhancements.
This new tower conforms to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements for control towers, the International Building Code and local and State codes.