The proprietary matte finish, InvariMatte®, from Contrarian Micro Textures, is being used in the construction of what will become the world’s largest stainless steel roof at the New Doha International Airport in the State of Qatar. The new airport will partially open in 2009—with completion set for 2015. At 2.1 million square feet (or about 195,000 square meters), the new roof will exceed in size the currently largest stainless steel roof of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (1.614 million square feet or about 150,000 square meters).
The Doha airport specified that Contrarian supply its InvariMatte® stainless steel finish for its aesthetic value and glare resistance.
In 2009, the new airport will be able to serve a capacity of 24 million passengers a year. In 2015, the figure will rise to 50 million passengers. The airport will occupy a land mass in excess of about 8.5 square miles (22 square kilometers).
Renowned architect HOK (Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum) designed the airport terminal. Bechtel is the general contractor. Bemo USA is manufacturing and installing the roof panels.
“Bemo does a great job of executing large scale roofing projects in high-performance metals like stainless steel,” said Jim Halliday, of Contrarian Micro Textures. “Their ability to mobilize anywhere in the world is impressive.”
Rick Kovach, President of Bemo USA, said, “This entire project is on a scale that’s hard for most people to comprehend, even veterans of the construction industry. It requires both excellent products and problem-free service — and we’re getting those from Contrarian.”
InvariMatte® is a non-directional, low gloss, uniformly textured stainless steel finish designed for use in architectural applications. While it’s lower reflectivity lends itself to roofing applications, it can be applied to wall panels, coping and trim. The superb consistency of this finish results in excellent panel-to-panel matching. Since InvariMatte® has no coatings to deteriorate, it will last indefinitely with little maintenance. InvariMatte® is readily welded or soldered and available in coils and cut lengths up to 288 inches and widths ranging from 0.75 to 49 inches. Because stainless steel is dimensionally stable up to 2000-degrees Fahrenheit, InvariMatte® provides an added measure of protection in the event of a fire.
“InvariMatte® is a remarkable product that provides a sustainable, low glare appearance with excellent finish consistency’” said Halliday. “Other stainless steel finishes are simply too reflective to use in a glare-sensitive environment. Whereas painted metal may address the glare issue, InvariMatte®’s finely textured finish will stand the test of time without fading, all the while delivering stainless steel’s remarkable resistance to corrosion.”