Kalwall® creates a flight of fancy

Kalwall^® translucent cladding has been used in a stunning project at Rayleigh Durham Airport in North Carolina designed by architects Clark Nexsen.

The brief was to transform/refurbish the aging 1981 Terminal 1. Nicknamed the ‘blue box’, the original rectangular building was constructed using blue corrugated metal making it dark and uninviting while the inside was haphazard with a poor passenger flow. In a £50m scheme, a stunning new terminal has emerged from a complete redesign with everything from the curbside to the interior space. On landside arrival, a Kalwall canopy system provides shelter and links access points while a Kalwall translucent façade is utilised to clad the main terminal building. Its unique ability to diffuse natural daylight into the interior means the new TSA screening facility now has complete privacy for the sensitive areas while bathing the interior with natural, glare-free light.

Kalwall is frequently specified for this type of prestige project where high-end performance and quality need to be coupled with aesthetics, practicality and a long life-cycle. Not only does Kalwall provide a neat and cost effective solution but it also offers complete line-of-sight protection, maintaining privacy for building occupants while bathing the interior with diffused daylighting regardless of the weather.

Importantly, Kalwall will eliminate shadows and glare and the stark contrasts of light and shade. The system also enhances simplicity by doing away with the need for blinds, curtains or solar control. Even on cloudy days, the interior is flooded with natural daylight, which means less artificial lighting and, because Kalwall is highly insulating, energy costs are reduced. The standard Kalwall 70mm thick panel offers insulation up to 0.28W/m2K - equivalent to a cavity filled solid wall.