OMEGA 1510 Stainless Steel Mesh Newark Liberty Airport by GKD Metal Fabrics featured on Design Journal.

OMEGA 1510 Stainless Steel Mesh Newark Liberty Airport

GKD Metal Fabric - More Than Meets The Eye: Newark Liberty Airport, Newark, NJ TAXI FOR TAKEOFFDuring the redesign and overhaul of Newark Liberty airport in Newark, New Jersey, designers needed to create a secure yet attractive barrier to the airport’s power transformer station. Rather than extending the surrounding precast concrete the total height of the transformer station wall, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey design team selected OMEGA 1510 stainless steel mesh from GKD-USA as perimeter fencing for its visual security and sheer good looks. The lower portion of the perimeter fencing was required to be completely opaque, so this portion was constructed from precast concrete. “It fulfills the requirement effectively, but isn’t aesthetically pleasing,” explains Wesley Goodnight, a process improvement engineer for Kiewit and the structural engineer on the project. “We had to do something solid on the lower portion, from a security perspective.” The second half of the structure doubles the height of the perimeter wall. Stacking another set of precast panels on the existing perimeter wall was out of the question. The team also experimented with aluminum bars, but they didn't provide the visual cover trait desired to conceal the unsightly transformer from the airport thoroughfare. The sheer height of the wall also makes the entire structure vulnerable to gusting winds. CLIMBING WALL The visual perception of security had also become a critical consideration in choosing the right material to secure the perimeter of the transformer station. “We talked a lot about “climb-ability” and this definitely looks like it is not climb-able, so it wasn't going to provide potential intruders an easy means to get access to the site.” The Port Authority settled on metal fabric as the solution. It met all the design constraints for permeability to the wind, visual security, and especially for its ability to provide the airport thoroughfare with a unique and classy visual signature. ETCHED TO PERFECTION The team evaluated two different manufacturers but decided to work with GKD, recalls Goodnight. “The client liked that GKD had the ability to etch and provide graphics and that made it really stand out,” says Goodnight. Etching is a process that transfers weather-resistant, durable, and fade-resistant graphic elements onto a metal surface. RESULTS “Of the many weaves and attachment systems compatible with an etched metal fabric design, the team chose Omega1510,” explains Jeff Abbott, GKD customer service manager. “The material’s visual cover trait is spot on and it has a 35% open area which reduces wind shear forces on the structure.” Despite its graceful design, stainless steel mesh is highly resilient, withstanding adverse weather conditions and vandalism. The precast wall, now adorned with a robust sail of etched metal fabric, provides graphics, signage and branding that conceals the transformer and provides a glamorous welcome to the airport’s highly trafficked route.

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PROJECT PARTNERS Construction Manager: Kiewit Engineering & Design Co. Graphics Consultant: Pentagram Architect: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

GKD Metal Fabrics

In 1925, a group of innovative German engineers created what would later become the most advanced technical weaving mill of metal fabrics for filtration and industrial use. As the company grew, the world’s most functional and visually engaging material architects and designers would ever have the opportunity to specify evolved -- metal fabric. To this day, GKD continues to revolutionize how architectural structures are enhanced aesthetically, augmented functionally and optimized economically.

Our industry expertise and involvement extends to the many associations and groups we serve.

Sustainability

At GKD, we are committed to the environment and good stewardship. Our sustainability efforts our evident in that the stainless steel we use contains post-industrial and post-consumer content; our metal fabrics can be re-used; and metal fabric contributes to LEED points under the Energy and Atmosphere, Material and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, Innovation and Design and Site Selection categories.

Manufacturing

GKD Metal Fabrics is headquartered in Cambridge, Maryland, USA, in an award-winning structure designed by renowned French architect Dominique Perrault and Baltimore-based Ziger / Snead Architects. The building functions as both center of operations and manufacturing facility while showcasing a host of GKD metal fabric innovations. Our second facility lies directly across the street and houses our filtration and process conveying business units. We are an ISO certified facility.

ISO 9001 : Certificate registration no. 311312 QM08

Sales

GKDMETALFABRICS. maintains a team of technical consultants here at our Maryland headquarters. This team is supported by a nationwide network of professional representative organizations. click here

Service

Installation, warranty and maintenance services are ongoing. We service North America from our Maryland facility. We are available at all times to respond to service needs. We additionally employ services metal working and trades craftsmen throughout the USA.

825 Chesapeake Drive
Cambridge MD 21613
United States
(800) 453-8616
https://www.gkdmetalfabrics.com/

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OMEGA 1510 Stainless Steel Mesh Newark Liberty Airport

GKD Metal Fabrics

Sustainability

Awards

Pricing

Notes

GKD Metal Fabrics

Sustainability

Manufacturing

Sales

Service