Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Canopy

Visionary canopies shelter passengers at one of the world’s busiest airports

A striking architectural feature of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is a dramatic new entrance created by two 864-foot-long canopies composed of translucent ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) panels and supported by a massive contemporary steel frame. RWDI was engaged to dig into the science behind the design of these unique canopy structures under varying climactic factors. We helped evaluate design concepts based on environmental factors, using analytic desktop models, wind tunnel testing and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The canopies underwent several iterations before arrival at the final product, with the shape carefully crafted to achieve an effective, yet aesthetically pleasing, climate responsive design.