CAM Magazine: Wayne County Airport Authority’s Michael Berry Administration Building Arrives at Metro Airport, Departs from Norm

The recently completed Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA) Michael Berry Administration Building at Detroit Metropolitan Airport was spotlighted in the October issue of CAM Magazine (the Construction Association of Michigan’s monthly publication). Ghafari designed the 82,000 SF facility, which is positioned directly next to the international airport’s North Terminal and provides a dynamic work environment for the WCAA’s team of more than 200 employees.

Working closely with the Airport Authority, we designed the $21 million, four-story facility with the following goals in mind: embracing modern workplace design best practices aimed at promoting collaboration among team members; incorporating sustainable features to support eventual LEED certification; and complementing the adjacent North Terminal.

Our layout incorporates open workspaces to facilitate interaction among colleagues. The office features a series of formal and informal meeting spaces, low-partition workstations, a fitness center, and a central open atrium space that infuses the middle of the building with natural light. The atrium space connects each floor to a centralized hub that features a coffee station and an informal teaming area. Our exterior design consists of a metal panel wall system and continuous ribbon window to match the architectural style of the neighboring North Terminal.

According to the CAM article, “The finished product is a workplace that the Airport Authority can be proud of. For months, WCAA employees have watched the building grow and their excitement mounted as move-in day approached.

“The contrast between the ghost-town atmospheres of the L.C. Smith terminal, with its hard-walled, separated offices at the top, and the new Berry, with its dedication to open spaces and shared light, has been dramatic.”

Read the full article here.