George Bush Intercontinental Airport

This especially proves true when an outdated space needs to be transformed into something entirely new. And this is exactly what the Houston International Airport, Terminal C needed for its latest transformation.

“Designed with the intent of establishing Houston International Airport as the premiere travel hub in the state of Texas, the United Airlines Terminal represents a departure from the ordinary and the launch of a new aesthetic.” – HLB Lighting Design.

The goal of the project was to modernize an existing space that embodied United’s brand and identity while providing a pleasant experience for travelers. The lighting played a vital role in creating this atmosphere.

“We were looking for something with a little ‘glitter’ and agreed on lines of discrete LEDs creating an organic ‘meandering path’ of light through the concourse.”

 – Clifton Manahan, Associate Lighting Designer at HLB Lighting Design. The winding and meandering path of sparkling optics in the ceiling would guide the flow of patron traffic through the busy terminal. JLC-Tech’s T-BAR LED with white Cut-Off Reflector was selected for the space as the perfect lighting choice. The linear lighting fixtures with individual cut off reflectors provided just the right amount of sparkling illumination the designers desired for the project.

The real challenge was integrating light fixtures into a special ceiling system; the client did not want to mount anything within the ceiling panels.

With JLC-Tech’s building-integrated LED lighting product the T-BAR LED™, HLB Lighting Design was able to accomplish their client’s goal. The T-BAR LED is the only low voltage linear lighting fixture designed, approved and patented to replace the cross members in a suspended ceiling system. Because it integrates directly into the ceiling grid becoming a certified part of the ceiling assembly, the T-BAR LED reduces installation costs, resolves plenum space issues, and minimizes construction waste.

No standard ceiling tiles need to be cut when installing the T-BAR LED. Therefore, the uninterrupted ceiling panels create a uniform design, optimizing sound absorption and light reflection. Lighting layouts are easy and flexible, resulting in even illumination and the ability to achieve the desired foot candles.

When all was complete, the concourse was transformed into a sleek and modern environment consistent with United’s brand and inviting to travelers.

The founders of JLC-Tech LLC have more than 40 years of combined experience in the international lighting industry and business management. JLC-Tech designs and manufacturers lighting products utilizing LED technology, while abandoning tired and overused standards for light fixture design. JLC-Tech is dedicated to maximizing the energy saving qualities of LED's and marrying them to modern, creative and structurally integrated designs for commercial spaces. The T-BAR LED is a step into the future, changing the way we illuminate our spaces, and improving the world in which we live, work and play.

For many travelers, the thought of being at an airport can bring on a list of potential headaches: security issues, missed flights, poor food choices, lost luggage—and more. That’s why the team behind the building of George Bush Intercontinental Airport’s new Terminal C, a partnership between the airport and United Airlines, took on the endeavor with a mission to create a more positive experience for travelers.

With more than 40 million travelers departing and arriving through its five terminals annually, George Bush Intercontinental Airport is the 15th busiest airport in the nation. Because the airport is ceaselessly active, the architect and engineering teams knew that closing the old Terminal C would not be feasible in order to make way for a new facility. Project managers developed an intricate system allowing the existing terminal to remain functional and minimize disruption while the new, 318,000 square foot terminal was built next to it. This allowed the designing minds behind the project the time to envision and create a thoroughly modern passenger experience for the new terminal.

Throughout the new terminal that accommodates eleven new and three renovated gates, the design team incorporated large expanses of windows to provide panoramic views for passengers and visitors. Instead of the rows and rows of seating, the new terminal features holdrooms with tech-enhanced, lounge-style seating with USB ports and iPads ready for guests to order food and amenities. In addition, the designers created an alternative to the typical long, monotonous hallway-style terminals found in most airports. In the north concourse, passengers follow a meandering path that guides traffic flow toward departure gates interspersed with more than 20 new dining and retail options. To reinforce the meandering concept, an LED lighting design varies and incorporates blue colors, and the roof clerestory windows allow a mix of natural daylight to the center of the 117-foot wide space.

In selecting a material to adorn the walls of these reimagined corridors, the project architects and interior designers sought to specify a modern product that would provide durability, ease of maintenance, be impact resistant, and still be aesthetically pleasing. They also looked for a material that would provide a more consistent appearance than natural stone. Ultimately, they chose Crossville’s gauged porcelain tile panels. Covering more than 11,000 square feet, Crossville’s tile panels in Oxide and Filo hit all the technical and aesthetic marks for the expansive space. The porcelain tile panel’s nuanced metallic details and colors proved to coordinate beautifully with the blue hues in the LED lighting and the terrazzo-style flooring.

Because the Crossville tile panels are 1m x 3m in outer dimensions, they were easy for the installers to work with. The installation team successfully installed more square footage in less time – crucial for a project running on a tight schedule and happening amidst the blur of thousands of passengers going through the space daily.

True to a mission to create a positive traveler experience, the beautifully designed Terminal C has already done its part to earn IAH international recognition. The airport landed on Conde Nast Traveler’s annual Best Airport top 10 rankings, as well as J.D. Power’s North America Airport Satisfaction Study, where it came in at sixth among the “mega” airports in the United States. With Crossville’s tile panels, this facility will be ready for take off for years to come.