Chattanooga Airport

As the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA) moved to replace an existing surface lot with a multistoried parking garage, WMWA was invited to join a multi-disciplinary design team led by Hoar Construction. Tasked with developing a conceptual site plan and cost estimate for the addition, the team embarked on a two-day design charette, where members of the various professions weighed the constraints of the site against the design parameters set by CHA. In partnership with the design team, WMWA crafted a narrative that synonymized the airport’s role as a regional transportation hub with the City of Chattanooga’s legacy as an ecological and cultural locus. From this analysis came the concept of “junction”, in which the design would reflect the movement of people, places, and ideas across a single point in space. In translating that concept to the design, WMWA created a cohesive plaza space and entrance sequence connecting the new parking structure with the existing airport. The long, linear forms of the airport’s runways served as inspiration for the aesthetic language of the plaza space and entrance sequence. The plaza is composed of a series of rectilinear, overlapping bands of unit pavers, which create a vibrant mosaic of materials, textures, and colors. From the plaza space emerges a central walk that intersects the existing drop-off zone and lands at the entrance to the airport. Given the proximity to critical infrastructure and the harsh conditions of the parking lots, WMWA designed a specialized plant palette that adapted to the needs of the airport. Large, columnar trees were used throughout the design to discourage nesting by birds, and the selection of shrubs and perennials for the plaza and parking islands was determined by their capacity to withstand extreme environmental conditions. This project was completed in 2021.