MKE Decorative Panel Replacement

New decorative screens visibly enhance Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport’s parking structure.

Designed by American Design Inc., the new screens replace rusting old metal screens that virtually disappeared at night. The large-scale screens are 20 feet wide by 50 feet tall and are metal framed with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fabric stretched to the edges. The fabric is light, but strong and fire resistant and has a 20% open area for ventilation.

“We designed a form for the screens that recall aircraft wings and tails that when lit are in a color similar to the blue airfield lights,” said James Piwoni, managing architect at American Designs of Milwaukee.

When dark, the structure is lit with programmable light shows.

“The screens capture viewers’ attention while the parking structure visually recedes,” Piwoni said.

American Designs chose the white PTFE surface with a bold daylight pattern by lighting the fabric surface. The rich blue color provides a refined ambiance close-up and from a distance. The material, which has a Teflon coating, was also selected as it is generally considered to be self-cleaning.

The original parking structure was built in 1981 with additions in 1990 and 2000 with the new screens enhancing the oldest portion of the facility on its east, west and south facades.
Selzer-Ornst served as the project’s general contractor while LAM Partners handled the lighting design.

During demolition and the installation of the new screens, construction sequencing and traffic control were essential to maintain public safety.