25 Jul Airport Design: Terrazzo Upgrades the Passenger Experience
Airport Design: Terrazzo Upgrades the Passenger Experience
Airport Design: Destination CLT
There is a new age in airport design. Add Charlotte Douglas International Airport to the list of airports renovating and building new terminals. In July 2018, Charlotte Douglas International Airport opened Concourse A to the public. This project is part of Destination CLT, a program designed to meet continuous growth in the city by improving its airport design.
Turner Rodgers, a joint venture, served as contractors for the expansion designed by C Design and Perkins + Will of Charlotte, North Carolina. Some of the special features of the concourse include the 773 electrochromic window panes bringing light to the building, Interconnected, a large digital art display created by artist Refik Arnadol, and the epoxy terrazzo floors that span the walkways.
Charlotte, North Carolina is a growing city. Concord Terrazzo Company’s mission was to supply locally sourced materials for the installation of terrazzo floors. Terrazzo consists of marble, glass, and other chips that are combined with a cement or epoxy matrix, and ground and polished to a smooth surface. For this project, local terrazzo installer Doyle Dickerson Terrazzo covered 58,055 square feet of epoxy terrazzo throughout Concourse A using a high-end polish. The floor is primarily a seamless four-color epoxy terrazzo surface, with 2,212 square feet reserved for placement of terrazzo tiles. The entire surface maximizes the use of recycled content including TERRAZZCO Brand post-consumer glass aggregates.
Concourse A is a sight to see for travelers. The airport perfectly combines functionality and design to match other airports around the globe. Airports should be welcoming, beautiful places and Charlotte Douglas International Airport created a space that lives up to its potential.
Considerations for Epoxy Terrazzo
When selecting a flooring finish for the new airport design, a few factors were considered. With the continued growth of the city, incoming and outgoing traffic increased over the years. Travelers are constantly on the move. Therefore, it was a decision to install epoxy terrazzo to withstand constant wear. A durable and low-maintenance floor is exactly what the airport needed. Today you will see epoxy terrazzo covering the entire walkways surrounding restroom areas, restaurants, and shops.
Rolling luggage is also a main concern. Terrazzo is a superior product over surfaces like tile and carpet that accommodate people with rolling luggage. With carpet, luggage can tear into the material leading to more replacements in a relatively short amount of time. On the other hand, epoxy terrazzo is seamless and reduces noise levels. It is a high-quality finish that looks great in areas that span long distances. But most of all, because it stands up to incoming traffic, the Charlotte Douglas International Airport can have a high-end floor without the worry of frequent repairs and replacements. These floors were designed to last a lifetime.
This alone has made terrazzo the material of choice for new airport construction and airport renovation projects. However, terrazzo offers much more than durability.
Terrazzo also offers airports the opportunity to add patterns and images to the floor, often displaying artwork that highlights the city’s history and culture. The terrazzo floor along with Interconnect, the digital art piece adds beauty throughout Concourse A. These additions create a space that is innovative and forward-thinking, engaging travelers from Charlotte to their next destinations.
About TERRAZZCO
Concord Terrazzo Company is a manufacturer of high-quality and innovative terrazzo products. Our company supplies TERRAZZCO Brand Products epoxy resin, aggregates, and precast terrazzo for institutional, commercial and industrial projects. To speak with Concord Terrazzo Company about our involvement in the Concourse A renovation at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, please write to us at info@terrazzco.com.