Air Traffic Control Tower Replacement at SFO

Known colloquially as the “Gateway to the Pacific,” SFO is a world-class airport serving approximately 41 million passengers annually.

The new replacement control tower serves as a signature design element for the airport. Its twisting façade is informed by the color, massing, and materials of the passenger terminal. The cab, or portion of the tower in which air traffic controllers operate, features clear, laminated, and seamless glass to maximize the controllers’ views. The control tower incorporates a post-tension system that will not sway with wind loads and is designed to withstand seismic events of magnitude 8.0.

In addition to the control tower, the project also includes an office facility at the tower’s base. Known as the “Integrated Facility,” this office building presents a radical departure for the FAA toward an open office environment that encourages interaction and collaboration.  In addition, a courtyard and green roof provide much needed open space in which air traffic controllers can rest between shifts at what is often called the world’s most stressful occupation.

Two connector corridors—one post-security, the other pre-security—are also a part of the project, and connect passenger-accessible parts of the concourse.