Air Traffic Control Tower, Wisconsin Air National Guard – Volk Field, Wisconsin

Camp Douglas, Wisconsin

Volk Field needed a properly configured, adequately sized, and correctly-sited air traffic control facility.  The view from the air traffic control (ATC) tower had to include the runways, traffic patterns, restricted areas, and parking areas to ensure adequate and safe airborne and ground traffic control on and around the airfield.

The existing air traffic control tower was engineered and constructed more than 40 years ago.  Built in 1959, it was designed to accommodate the air traffic control operations of the time, but had only 33 percent of the minimum space required by today’s standards.  Tower personnel could not view the entire airfield, which created a potentially hazardous situation for both ground and air traffic.

Mead & Hunt provided complete design services from planning to final design of the ATC tower.  The architecture of the new ATC tower is compatible with the character and image of Volk Field CRTC.  In addition, a more modern design subtly implies a more forward-thinking, state-of-the-art facility.

The building is comprised of three basic components - a control cab, a tower shaft, and a base building.  The floor of the control cab is situated 84 feet above ground level and oriented relative to the primary runway for an unobstructed view of the aircraft movement areas.  The tower shaft supports the control cab and provides access to the cab by elevator and stairway.  The shaft has eight levels and each level contains functional spaces for control tower operations.  The base building, adjacent to the tower shaft, is a single story building which houses equipment and functional areas that support the operations of the control tower including a training area and ATC simulator.