Chino Airport Hangars
Curved Panels Provide Crowning Touch For California Hangar
The developer wanted more. So when the building team set out to plan the construction of 47,000 sq. ft. of new hangar space at the Chino Airport in Chino, CA, it decided to think outside the box...literally. “Instead of placing office space within the hangars, as is the custom, we used office bungalows with curved design elements on the outside of the structure as an architectural enhancement,” says William Handley, P.E., owner of Handley Engineering. The Tustin, CA-based firm was the project’s engineer of record and provided the architectural plans.
“We had seen curved metal panels on other projects and felt that a design incorporating curves would reflect the shape of an airplane and blend nicely with the aviation setting,” added Bryan Clendenen, head of project management for Aviation Development Corporation of Corona, CA, the developer and general contractor.
Approximately 10,300 sq. ft. of 24-gauge Klip Rib® concealed-fastening wall panels from AEP Span were used to create the curved effect. They were curved to the required specifications by Curveline Inc. and then shipped to the job site for final installation.
Curveline’s proprietary “crimp-curving” process does more than curve the panels. It also increases the strength and rigidity of panels, allowing them to be installed over minimal framing. For the hangar project, the panels were applied directly over zee purlins. The design required panels in five different lengths from 14’5” up to 28’5”, curved into varying outside radii and angles of curvature. “Despite the complex curving requirements, every panel proved to be a perfect fit,” Clendenen noted.
Added Handley: “The curved metal panels provided a nice, clean look and were surprisingly cost-effective. They helped us achieve the upscale, aviation-themed image we were seeking.” The project features six hangars ranging in size from 7,200 to 8,000 sq. ft.
The hangars were constructed using metal building systems manufactured and erected by American Steel Buildings Co., Bellaire, TX. The curved panel installer was Steelwood Erectors of Riverside, CA. For more information about American Steel Buildings Co., click here.
To learn more about panel systems from AEP-Span, click here.
To learn more about crimp curving and the dozens of manufacturer-approved profiles that can curved by Curveline, click here.