Overcome Challenges and Be Inspired

Airolite has provided "the Look that Works" for many building installations over the years. We understand how to design products that overcome many challenges. Want inspiration? Read our many case studies and learn how we deliver "the Look that Works."

Guildford Town Centre Expansion, Phase II

Jun 28, 2022, 09:04 AM
Title : Guildford Town Centre Expansion, Phase II
Image caption : 10355 152 Street, Surrey, British Columbia
Architect : Musson Cattell Mackery Partnership, Vancouver, British Columbia
Airolite representative : Rieger Architectural Products, Winnipeg, Manitoba
General contractor :
Sub contractor :
Display Order : 5
The Vision

Owned and managed by Ivanhoé Cambridge, Guildford Town Centre in Surrey, British Columbia was built in 1966 and has undergone multiple expansions and renovations since then. The second phase of a five year expansion, one of the largest shopping center redevelopment projects in Canada, was completed in August, 2013 and added a dramatic new entrance, a complete refurbishment of the interior and 213,000 more square feet of retail space for 70 additional retailers and a new Food Court.

Today, Guildford Town Centre offers over 1,200,000 square feet of leasable area with over 250 stores and restaurants. Airolite architectural louvers are featured prominently on top of the rotunda over the new entrance to the mall.


The Airolite Look...

The original design for the front entrance called for the installation of curved architectural louvers to create a contemporary and majestic statement for the popular shopping center. However, curved louvers proved to be too costly. Airolite engineers were able to create the spectacular curved appearance with 88 sections of straight segmented Airolite K609 Louvers installed on the building’s curved exterior surface. A clear anodized finish was selected to emphasize the natural silver beauty of the aluminum. As light changes during the day and night, it reflects off the aluminum façade and greets passersby with a compelling invitation to step inside and enjoy a delightful shopping experience in this charming community.


That Works

Installing a flat louver on a curved surface required an innovative mounting system and extraordinary attention to detail. Airolite engineers designed a unique wide bracket with a straight steel pin that could be installed in advance on the curved wall to receive the louver sections. Four standard louver brackets for each section were hung on the four custom-designed brackets providing flexibility to move the louver section forward or back and create the circular effect. Installation was easy and quick thanks to this engineered solution. The thickness of the vertical framework was also reduced to help achieve the circular effect.

Although these louvers were installed only for aesthetic purposes, the Airolite Louver Type 609 is designed for applications that require intake and exhaust ventilation with moderate protection against water penetration.

The louvers for this job were designed, produced, and shipped in two separate phases to accommodate the building schedule. Phase I included 2,420 square feet of louvers in 63 sections with an average size of 7’0” wide x 5’6” high. Phase II included 550 square feet of louvers in 25 sections. Celso Stifelmann, MCMP’s architect on the project, was pleased with the final look. “The use of Airolite louvers on top of the rotunda over the main entrance was crucial to obtain the results we are now seeing. The intent on this portion of the building was to give the public a majestic experience, complementing the beautiful plaza,” he stated. “Airolite’s ability to manufacture and install an almost frameless decorative louver with the proportions we envisioned was key for this success. The final product exceeded our expectations, and this project is quickly becoming a City of Surrey landmark.”
Guildford Town Centre Expansion Phase II