LOGAN AIRPORT

EXPANSION
EXTECH EXTERIOR TECNHOLOGIES
AIM
The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) was in need of a modern
parking facility for their Central Parking Expansion at Logan International
Airport. Because of the facility’s prominent location, they were looking for a
21st-century design – one that incorporated sustainable materials and
delivered an elegant and dynamic look.
PROCESS
To achieve this, the EXTECH team took inspiration from a façade they had
designed for the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum and partnered with
Arrowstreet to create a kinetic wall based around 6-inch square curved
aluminum ‘flappers’. To provide the visual experience that would elevate the
facility from parking station to art installation, EXTECH assembled the
flappers into 350 unitized panels to capture the dynamic patterns of the wind
coming off the Atlantic Ocean.
Pittsburgh Children’s Museum
EXTECH designed a system - which later
became our KINETICWALL - that
accomplished this goal. They used over
39,000 flappers made of a special acrylic
resin and with Teflon bushings. They were
fitted onto 1/2" diameter stainless steel
rods.

That assembly was fastened to an

aluminum space frame system
How Do Dynamic Wall Motion Systems Work?
The KINETICWALL system is a dynamic façade comprised of movable ‘flapper’ elements
that respond to naturally occurring wind patterns. There are a variety of ways that the
flappers can be mounted.
The EXTECH have developed three standard methods of suspending the flappers.
These suspension systems are

Rod Mount system Pin Mount system Drop in system

Each system has different aesthetic and performance characteristics

DROP IN DYNAMIC WALL SYSTEM
This system uses T-shaped flappers inserted
into a ‘rung’ extrusion. Since the extrusions
capture the flappers without the use of
hardware, the labor required for fabrication is
significantly reduced. Due to the ‘rung’
arrangement, the vertical side rails of each unit
are visible.
The drop-in system allows for a 90-degree
range of flapper motion and can accept a
variety of flapper configurations and materials,
including metal, polycarbonate, and Kynar
films. The flappers can also be easily removed
and re-inserted during maintenance operations
without the use of specialty tools.
PIN MOUNT DYNAMIC WALL SYSTEM
The Pin Mount dynamic wall suspension system can be
configured to allow the flappers to ‘float’ in front of the
support hardware and side rails, giving the appearance of a
‘veil.’ This configuration minimizes the appearance of the
vertical mounting hardware and side rails.

This system also supports a wide array of flapper shapes

and materials. One caveat is that the flapper materials must
be rigid enough for it to be captured by the mounting
hardware.

The Pin Mount system allows flapper shapes to be mixed

for the creation of unique patterns and designs. The
mounting position of each flapper can also be modified to
create changes in the kinetic activity.

This system also facilitates ease of maintenance and repair

operations. Individual flapper elements can be easily
removed and replaced using a simple hand drill.
ROD MOUNT DYNAMIC WALL SYSTEM
The Rod Mount system permits the broadest
range of motion of the three systems. Individual
flappers can rotate up to 360-degrees, allowing
for more ventilation and intermittent unobstructed
views through the façade. The increased net-free
ventilation provided by the fully rotating flappers
can also promote passive cooling of the structure.
As with our other suspension systems, the Rod
Mount system is designed to facilitate ease of
repair and maintenance operations. Individual
flappers can be easily replaced by manually
snapping them on and off the mounting bushings.
Like the Drop-In system, the vertical side rails of
the Pin Mount are more prominently visible..
The kinetic façade provides a visual representation of an unseen and
unpredictable natural phenomenon – the wind.
The system used in LOGAN AIRPORT GARAGE is the ROD MOUNT
DYNAMIC FACADE SYSTEM.
DESIGN
The façade of the LOGAN AIRPORT
GARAGE comprised of 48,000 custom-
made flappers that span 8 stories high
and 290 feet wide. The flapper panels
provide an array of cost and sustainability
benefits – they allow air to flow through
and ventilate the building, permit visibility
from the inside, and deflect Solar Heat
Gain. The flapper panels also provide
the eye-catching aesthetic Massport was
after; to see the wind as it ripples across
the flappers is an experience that
enchants even the most jetlagged of
travelers.