Memphis International Airport Mission Support Center

2491 Winchester Road, Suite 113, Memphis, TN 38116 United States

Building Area (sf): 121,000

Completion: October 2021

Architect of Record:

Horrell Self + Tucker Joint Venture

Juan R. Self AIA, CSI, NOMA
Robert Horrell, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP

• Owner/Client:
• General Contractor: Chris Woods Construction Co
• Electrical:
• Engineering:
  
• Other:
  
• Photography:
  All Photos by Steve Austell Photography
  
  1 - Ripping metal fins and an expansive glass front entry lighten the concrete structure of the building
  2 - An airy lobby with natural light spilling a polished concrete floor welcomes guests and employees
  3 - A secure yet beautiful entry greets Airport Police
  4 - Whimsical paper plane like forms watch over the breakroom
  5 - A fleet of fully equipped maintenance trucks wait to handle any challenge
  

This highly complex project centralizes the operations for much of the Memphis International Airport by constructing a new nerve center for operations and maintenance. The new facility not only substantially increases efficiency but is also forward-looking towards the future needs of Memphis International Airport. The building consolidates AirfieldMaintenance, Police, Emergency Response, Communications/Dispatch, Operations, Snow Command, and Procurement all in one 121,000-square-feet Mission Support Center.

The building consolidates Airfield Maintenance, Police, Emergency Response, Communications/Dispatch, Operations, Snow Command and Procurement all in one 121,000-square-foot Mission Support Center.
The new facility features a 47,800-square-foot building for storing equipment and machinery; a nearly 14,000-square-foot building for bulk storage of snow removal chemicals, mulch, sand, and other materials; a 4,800-square-foot canopy to protect parked equipment; an 83,000-square-foot employee parking lot; and a 900-square-foot kennel that houses drug- and bomb-sniffing police dogs during the day.

The facility is organized by a spine configuration, dividing the space into two regions tailored to the core user groups: airside employees and landside employees.
The main corridor(spine) of the building bisects a break room, restrooms, and office-based functions such as management, police, communications, and emergency operations located on one side and General maintenance facilities on the other. In the break room and main corridor suspended white triangular acoustic forms were designed to resemble paper airplanes and provide a visual connection to aircraft operations. From a materials aspect, the facility was built using site poured tilt-up concrete panels. To prevent the exterior structure from looking too austere, designers had concrete workers use forms with corduroy-like rippled fins on one side to add texture and dimension to the exterior walls.

This project creates a safer more efficient environment for both employees and travelers by reducing the time it takes for the Airport Authority to reach every part of the aerotropolis. Two out of every three employees of the airport authority now are housed there, providing centralized operations and organizational efficiencies, as well as improved teamwork.