YLW PREPARES TO WELCOME THE WORLD Construction Starts on International Arrivals Hall
BY TRACEY FREDRICKSON
A
fter a number of years of planning and consultation, “We’re about to enter a new era in the history of this important regional building,” says Kelowna International Airport Director Sam Samaddar. “By the time the new International Arrivals Hall is complete, its look and feel will give arriving passengers a real sense of what Kelowna and the Okanagan are all about.”
“Its look and feel will give arriving passengers a real sense of what Kelowna and the
Okanagan are all about”
This summer is the start of Phase 1 of construction in the Airport’s four-phase development program and includes the expansion of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Primary Inspection Line (PIL) area. The $8 million project represents the initial stage in expanding the international arrivals hall, where passengers from all over the world – many of whom have never been to the Okanagan – will experience the distinctive landscapes and unique natural beauty of the region first-hand.
The “sense of place” that will be evident in design and construction throughout the airport is being created through the use of natural elements that are strongly associated with the Okanagan.
The Airport Advisory Committee was specifically consulted through a thematic workshop about what the Okanagan meant to them. At the heart of this concept is the use of local materials that represent elements of the local topography; sand/soil, the Ponderosa pine, lakes and natural sunlight. On stepping into the arrivals hall, passengers will find themselves in a bright, spacious 828 square metre area surrounded by wood and light that is both attractive and designed for the most efficient handling of passengers. Travellers will proceed to the CBSA primary check point counter which is backed by a feature wall made up of the names of Okanagan communities served by YLW, popular resort areas and other points of interest in the Okanagan.
Once passengers have seen a CBSA agent, they will pick up their bags and either be cleared to leave or directed to a secondary inspection area. As they leave the hall, they will walk alongside a massive “rammed earth” wall composed of layers of Okanagan soil in various natural colours. Extensive use of double- glazed windows will allow plenty of light into the area, highlighting the natural qualities of the wall and the beamed ponderosa pine ceiling.
What passengers won’t see is the more efficient, cost effective “green” infrastructure that is being incorporated into new construction throughout the airport. The international arrivals area will have a geothermal heating and cooling system, with the concrete
floor also helping to cool and heat the area naturally during the day and night. Redevelopment of the area also provided an opportunity to upgrade the airport’s life safety systems; this includes the emergency power and fire alarm infrastructure which are both at capacity. These are critical systems for modern airports given that virtually all of the critical processors in the building are operated electronically, and will serve YLW well into the future.
By the time the arrivals hall is complete by the second quarter of 2012, the area will be able to accommodate approximately 250 passengers an hour compared to the 135 passengers that can be handled currently. This more efficient flow of passengers will greatly relieve congestion and take advantage of the natural “dwell” time in the area.
The new look and feel of the airport is the result of extensive consultation by the design team led by YLW Development Manager Henry Castorf, architectural/engineering firm Dialog, and the project management firm of Leigh Fisher Consultancy.
“There have been many years of collaboration and compromise behind the planning and vision that is now becoming a reality,” says Samaddar.
YLW thanks passengers and visitors to the Airport for their patience while construction is taking place.
SUMMER 2011 | 5
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