Manila Ninoy Aquino Int. Airport, Philippines

Project: Entrance canopy
Location: Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Philippines
Client: Manila Airport
Architect: Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM)
Main Contractor: Tekenka Corporation
Handover: 2002

​Serving over 30 million passengers a year, Ninoy Aquino International Airport is the gateway to the Filipino capital. However, its location in the Pacific storm zone means it can face winds in excess of 150km/h, driven in across Manila Bay. When the airport needed a new canopy to cover the long passenger drop-off area outside the terminal, it turned to BFG for a weather-proof composite alternative to replace the previous aluminium structure which had been blown away.

Delivering a sustainable, maintenance-free solution that would stand the test of time and cope with the elements, BFG designed, manufactured and installed a perfect sequence of arched FRP ceiling panels. To fit the existing steel frame – with only central structural support available on a sweeping parabolic arch – the project required a completely bespoke solution to account for variations in the shape of each panel.

To bear the brunt of future storms, the panels – each approximately 1.5m by 4m – were designed with a cantilevered overhang, resulting in very high uplift deflections. The new design, allied with robust composite engineering, has brought real dividends. So far, the canopy has withstood the effects of typhoons for 15 years.