Denver International Airport,
Airport Terminal Canopy and Roadway Expansion
Denver
LEO A DALY

With a nod to the Wright brothers, canopy compliments an iconic airport

© Frank Ooms

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The roadway canopy system provides covered outdoor waiting areas for passenger pick-up and drop-off at the Denver International Airport. It is composed of two 800-foot-long canopies that are directly adjacent to the east and west elevations of the two-sided central terminal. This prominent location, at the “front door” of the airport, required a design that complements the existing building’s distinct roof.

The architect faced several design challenges in this project. To start, the canopy must meet height limits that are intended to permit views from the existing terminal’s upper level out to the Rocky Mountains beyond. Also, the canopies’ location on top of the existing roadway structure limited their weight and restricted column supports to locations spaced at 60-foot intervals. Emergency vehicle clearance required a minimum clear height of 15 feet, and a central opening for the natural ventilation of smoke and exhaust fumes. Given Denver’s climate and the potential for heavy snow loads on the canopy during winter months, the design also had to accommodate snow shedding and snow melt.

Leo A. Daly’s design solution created a lightweight tensile fabric structure of Teflon-coated fiberglass stretched over a white painted steel truss structure. These materials compliment the existing terminal and provide the necessary fire-resistant construction. The gently curved 90-foot-wide main steel members rest on a “tree” cluster of four steel columns at each support point, creating a stable base for the long-span trusses and providing a concealed conduit for drainage, electrical, and sprinkler lines. The raised concrete column bases shield the transition of these service lines to the level below.

Above each main curved steel member rest two secondary curved steel tubes that support the stretched fabric wings that form the canopy and cover the pedestrian islands and roadways below. The translucent fabric yields a highly energy efficient solution: creating a bright, diffusely lighted area for passenger waiting during the day, and acting as a reflector for up-lighting to create a soft, uniform glow at night. The double curvature of the structure, viewed in section, evokes images of flight and the profile of bird’s wings. Moreover, the use of fabric stretched over a structural frame echoes the construction of early airplane fuselages—such as those designed by the Wright brothers.

Formal name of Project:
Denver International Airport, Airport Terminal Canopy and Roadway Expansion

Location:
Denver

Gross square footage:
133,000 sq. ft.

Total construction cost:
$26 million

Owner:
Denver International Airport

Architect:
LEO A DALY
550 S. Hope Street, 27th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
213-629-0100 tel.
213-629-8053 fax
www.leoadaly.com