Arup
www.arup.com/aviation

Arup Aviation – a world of expertise

We draw from 50 years’ experience working on airport development projects across the globe, from Kansai and Stansted to Manchester, Abu Dhabi, Heathrow Terminal 5 to Dublin Terminal 2.  During this time we have developed the range of services we offer from building design to a full range of skills covering all aspects of airport planning and development.

As passengers move smoothly through check-in and security in the new Terminal 5 at Heathrow, with time to shop or dine before boarding their flight, they might take a moment to wonder how an airport functions. At Arup, we think about it for much longer.

Understanding, skills and experience

Detailed analysis of passenger needs and understanding of airport operations and businesses is at the heart of our work. Drawing on our skills in disciplines ranging from transaction advice and 4D modelling to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and baggage handling we use our expertise to shape airports from conception through to completion and operation.

Appropriate solutions

We never employ exactly the same solution twice, nor do we set out to create bespoke solutions. We make sure we do what’s appropriate by listening to clients and delivering solutions that meet the client’s needs, transferring any new skills and experience of previous projects to the next. By constantly developing our learning and skills we can ensure that we improve our products and services.

At Heathrow Terminal 5 we used 3D modelling of all disciplines in a single model environment to help coordinate the design, reducing costs. A proven method, we’re now using it to add value to projects such as Dublin Terminal 2.

Aviation is a global business; we never look at projects in isolation. We work hard to share our knowledge and skills across our business so all our clients benefit.  Such as non-aeronautical revenues through retail planning solutions, lighting airports therefore adding to the aesthetic and ensuring airport developments maximise the benefit of sustainable construction, an approach found at the heart Arup’s projects.

For example, Arup lightings experience with several global retailers ensures that our designs are optimised to achieve the best return on investment for the retailer, together with reductions in energy consumption and maintenance which benefits the airport operator both in capital and running costs.

Collaborative working

Collaborative working with our clients, colleagues, and the supply chain is an aspiration in the work we do.  We believe that the best actions are achieved if we work closely together, understanding each others needs, getting input from the wider team early.

We like to think beyond just the design, we enjoy understanding the clients’ business drivers, and how the facilities will be operated.  We work closely with suppliers to streamline manufacture, delivery and site erection, making the project more efficient by cutting the number of people and amount of equipment needed on site.

Of course, it helps to have good clients. BAA’s far-sighted use of the T5 Agreement (a behavioural contract focusing on the relationships between client, architect, engineers and contractors) helped the project come in on time and within budget. When problems did occur, BAA’s no-blame culture and fostering of collaboration helped overcome the issues and led to a speedy resolution.

Leadership

At Dublin Terminal 2, we are leading the project including architecture, all engineering disciplines, specialists and construction management.  The client draws upon our expertise to create an organisational and decision-making structure to deliver the tender packages within their very tight time schedule. Our ability to engage with and listen to the client and a wide range of stakeholders and to shape a design team that met their objectives made us ideal for the role of design team leadership. Robert Hilliard, Director, Dublin International Airport, comments:

‘DAA and the Irish Government have committed to building a new Terminal at Dublin Airport, which will become the new Gateway to Ireland. Arup’s role is to design, project and construction manage the development and to date they have met every key milestone established for the project.’

Flexibility

Delivering successful projects has wider benefits, helping the aviation industry respond to changes in the marketplace. Who could have predicted twenty years ago that we’d do so much shopping as we travelled or have premium restaurants in airports? We can’t see into the future but we can build flexible spaces – “loose-fit buildings” – that can adapt to these changing needs.

The Terminal 5 project spanned nearly 20 years from inception to completion. We knew the operator’s needs would change during that time so we designed the roof to stand separately from the internal structure to allow the inside to adapt to new requirements both during the design stage and in future years to come. As a result, we were able to accommodate more floors and greater retail space than originally planned. In the future, the floors could be demolished and rebuilt in a different configuration without affecting the roof or façade.

Creative thinking

Investing in innovative solutions such as the Terminal 5 roof and the creative thinking that produces them produces long term value for airport operators. We apply creativity not only by enabling architects to deliver successful buildings but also by thinking about how things will be built, how we can overcome problems. We see complexity, constraint or challenge as an opportunity to use creative thinking to find an appropriate solution.

We wanted to make sure people could work comfortably in the new Heathrow control tower. So before setting design criteria we took the air traffic controllers to Southampton to do tests on a shake table to show them what working in the tower in different wind conditions might feel like. This helped us design a tower which they could use comfortably in a wide range of conditions.

Global skills delivered locally

Our structure helps us think beyond our discipline. Arup Aviation is a global business led by Peter Budd with an executive in each geographical area. In Europe, we’re led by people with experience in building engineering, airport planning, baggage handling, hangars and IT. They focus purely on Aviation and can help deliver global skills locally.

Because we invest in skills transfer through networks and our intranet, we can deliver the same high quality of service anywhere in the world. This compliments our investment in other key areas of our business. Being part of developing the integrated 3-D modelling at Terminal 5 benefits our projects and our other projects and clients.

We enjoy the challenge of working with the world’s leading architects to design and deliver gateways, creating airports that have all the facilities of an international terminal but retain a sense of the country they’re in and provide passengers with a local experience.

In Russia, we supported Grimshaw Architects in their winning proposal for the redevelopment of St Petersburg airport - a project that illustrates the ever-changing global nature of aviation. Their design delivers a solution to the issues affecting the current layout of the airport, a hangover from the Soviet era which separates domestic and international terminals on opposite sides of the runway.

Wherever we work in the future, our clients will have access to a world of experience and expertise encompassing:

To find out more, contact Peter Budd, Global Aviation Leader at peter.budd@arup.com or visit www.arup.com/aviation 

 

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