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Grand Canyon National Park Airport recognized in national magazine
Fire Chief magazine gives GC National Park Airport Operations Building Design Excellence Silver Award

Grand Canyon National Park Airport Operations Building and Air Rescue and Firefighting Facility. Submitted Photo

Grand Canyon National Park Airport Operations Building and Air Rescue and Firefighting Facility. Submitted Photo

TUSAYAN, Ariz. - Chicago-based Fire Chief magazine recently awarded LEA Architects out of Phoenix the Silver Design Excellence award for Grand Canyon National Park Airport Operations Building and Air Rescue and Firefighting Facility (ARFF). First place went to Fire Headquarters Station No. 1 in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.

Fellows of the American Institute of Architect (FAIA) Principal Design Architect Larry Enyart said the surrounding aviation perspective as well as the Grand Canyon's beauty inspired the architecture of the Grand Canyon Airport Operations Building and ARFF. The architectural firm is also designing the master plan for the airport's new terminal which is currently undergoing environmental impact studies before construction begins.

"It has been recognized as one of the top projects in the United States," Enyart said. "It is one of the first buildings we started for ADOT aeronautics."

Completed in 2010, the building's architecture draws from the materials, colors and textures of the existing natural environment. Natural materials include locally manufactured concrete masonry, local natural stone, glass and weathering steel defining the building surface.

South facing corten metal roofs over the apparatus bays provide radiant heating to the bays during the winter months and house the building's photovoltaic system.

"I think (the building) is very regionally appropriate, it's very respectful to the beauty of the Grand Canyon, it's inspired to use natural materials and it's inspired to use general sloping roof form which features a deep, rich ochre colored roof which naturally rusts, so it has this beautiful color," Enyart said. "The masonry for this project wasn't only designed for its beauty, but it also has thermal mass, meaning it holds heat in the winter. It requires minimal maintenance compared to on a masonry building compared to something you have to paint or take care of. All the materials are really natural."

The building also features roof planes that extend past the masonry bearing walls to provide solar protection of windows. The windows also supply natural daylight to the majority of the building spaces and protect decks during snowfall.

In past years, the Grand Canyon National Park Airport received the Leadership and Energy Environment Design Gold certification and is a top winner of the Fire Industry and Educational Research Organization Design Excellence Awards and the Coconino County Sustainable Building Design Awards program.

In 2012, LEA Architects won American Institute or Architects AZ Sustainable Firm of the Year 2012 for more than 10 years of sustainable architecture.


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