Alcoa (NYSE:AA) announced today that the new 233-foot tall air traffic control tower at New York's LaGuardia Airport, one of the busiest airports in the United States, is clad in Alcoa's lightweight Reynobond® aluminum composite material panels.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey commissioned Jacobs of Arlington, Virginia, to design a new, modern air traffic control tower for LaGuardia Airport to replace the existing air traffic control tower, cab and base building. The old tower was constructed in 1962. The new tower raises the control cabin about 70 feet above the old one, giving the air traffic controllers an unobstructed 360-degree view of runways and taxi areas. The new tower will become operational this fall.
New Air Traffic Control Tower at New York’s LaGuardia Airport
“We specified metal for the tower because it is lightweight, durable, and versatile and virtually maintenance free,” said Stephen Wakeman, design principal of Jacobs. “Aesthetically, the Reynobond ACM cladding ties the tower to the other metal-clad buildings within the airport complex.”
To increase the subtlety of the tower, the cabin was clad in a custom blue shade panel, which virtually fades into the sky. Platinum and grey velvet accents were used on the soffits and fin panels. These panels required a one-inch piece of composite welded along the perimeter, since the panels are conical shape and need finished corners.
"Versatile Alcoa architectural products, such as Reynobond®, are particularly suitable for achieving unique designs on building façades and interiors. Architects and specifiers find they have greater control over the finished appearance of their projects when working with the Alcoa family of products," said Sid Peterson, Vice President, Sales and Marketing for Alcoa Architectural Products.
Alcoa Architectural Products offers a complete range of exterior and interior cladding and corporate identity solutions, Products include the new Reynobond Face Fastened Installation System and Colorweld®500 finish with the industry’s first 30-year warranty, as well as innovative materials such as Anodized Reynobond ACM, Reynobond Wood Grain ACM and Reynobond with KEVLAR®. Also available are the classic Reynobond ACM, Reynobond Natural Metal, and Reynolux® profiled panels and flat sheet materials. Alcoa Architectural Products is a business unit of Alcoa, the world’s leading producer of aluminum products.