Denver International Airport

Award Criteria

Architectural Excellence

Ramtech partnered with Turner-Flatiron JV on this project to create a 5 gate airport terminal extension that would tie in aesthetically with Denver International’s Concourse A East ground loading facility. Specifically, this meant creating an industrial but clean exterior look with large windows and white and gray metal siding to complement the sculpted canopy design of DIA. Using open web steel trusses, and both perimeter structural and sub-floor shear walls, Ramtech’s design team was able to deliver interior clear spans of 52 feet over a length of more than 250 feet, while adhering to Denver’s demanding seismic and wind load requirements. This allowed for FAA compliant passenger gate waiting areas, a 20-foot-wide continuous walkway, and space for high-stooled charging workstations. Suspended acoustical ceilings and floor assemblies, a full airport security system with signage, and exterior canopies and ramps were installed onsite by Turner-Flatiron.

Technical Innovation & Sustainability

A traditional Type II modular building system with non-combustible cementious floor decking was used for the project, combining 52-foot modules oriented end-to-end for maximum required width and prompt installation, a critical aspect given the ongoing traffic at the existing Concourse A. To further minimize the disruption of plane operations, a proprietary stacked CMU pier foundation was bonded to the existing tarmac surface. Though achieving LEED status was not within the project’s budget, features such as low emissivity tinted windows, metal siding with high recycled content and two layers of 3.5” R-41 polyisocyanurate roof insulation allowed the building to exceed Denver’s stringent energy codes. The City and County of Denver also required the structure and its foundation connections to withstand 160 mph winds.

Cost Effectiveness

Given the need to limit impact on airport operations and avoid costly onsite labor, the key driver in DIA’s decision to work with Ramtech was the ability to shift work offsite and condense the construction schedule. Due to the aforementioned building design and Ramtech’s project management expertise, all 36 modules were installed and weathered-in concurrent with the completion of onsite prep-work, thus allowing for limited overlap of expensive subcontractors. In addition, Ramtech’s fully screened, drug-free employees were able to gain access to the facility and complete their work in an efficient manner, an often-overlooked factor that is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve onsite, particularly in Colorado. In total, more than 20,000 SF of additional terminal space was added to the concourse without a single day of interrupted flight scheduling or general airport operations.