Airport Design and Construction Planning Program
Overview
In 2022, Wonderstruct was engaged by one of the five largest cities and busiest airports in the United States to provide technical writing, design documentation, and business consulting services for a comprehensive $1 billion capital improvement program. The initiative encompasses a broad spectrum of design and construction projects aimed at modernizing and expanding airport facilities to accommodate growing passenger demand and operational complexity.
We've learned so much about airport planning and operations through this program. Our team is equipped to edit very technical documents and presentations, support design and construction planning efforts, and help airports replace legacy systems with a strategic implementation plan that understands all stakeholders.
Our Role
Wonderstruct was tasked with supporting the airport and its consulting teams in producing clear, consistent, and actionable project documentation across a variety of planning and construction efforts. This included:
- Authoring and editing technical design standards and planning documents
- Supporting the development of airport-wide safety and operational programs
- Creating consistent documentation templates to align multiple stakeholder teams
- Advising leadership teams on internal workflows and stakeholder communication strategies
- Taking detailed notes in all design and coordination meetings to ensure ongoing updates to master program documents
Working with Multiple Design Teams
For the large design program, Wonderstruct serves as the central source for capturing technical meeting notes, tracking design decisions, and integrating real-time updates into the broader documentation set.
Our support ensures alignment between teams and eliminates gaps in communication across the complex, multi-year program.
Working with International Aviation Experts
We collaborated closely with the airport’s city and aviation authority, as well as a consortium of leading industry firms, including Ricondo and Associates, Gensler, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, M2P Aviation Technology Solutions, Airport Labs, and IGC Logistics.
As experts in editing, designing, and communication in transportation, Wonderstruct played a key role in bridging any gaps between these technical experts, designers, and airport stakeholders to ensure comprehensive deliverables.
Expansion into Software Support
By 2025, our work expanded to include support for the implementation of a next-generation airport database system in partnership with M2P. Because Wonderstruct had developed many of the original program documents that shaped airport operations, we were uniquely positioned to facilitate this transition.
Led by Tim, Wonderstruct’s software team conducted on-site field reviews to understand how frontline airport staff interacted with legacy systems. These observations guided the development of practical workflows and adoption strategies for the new system. Our contributions included:
- Stakeholder mapping and user role analysis
- Workflow design consultation for database engineers
- Field testing and feedback collection
- Development of comprehensive user manuals and quick-start guides
Our support helped ensure the new platform was user-focused, aligned with on-the-ground operational needs, and adopted successfully across teams.
Program Results
By December 2024, the success of the Airport Design and Construction Planning Program led to the award of a second contract at another of the nation's top ten busiest airports. Our ongoing involvement reflects both the value of clear, user-centered documentation and our ability to deliver tailored support across large, complex aviation environments.
Key Contributions:
- Authored over 50 strategic, safety, and planning documents
- Standardized design and construction documentation across dozens of projects
- Advised on workflow optimization and stakeholder communications
- Guided the successful rollout of a next-gen airport software platform
- Attended and documented technical meetings across 7–10 cross-disciplinary teams
- Supported multi-firm coordination on one of the most complex airport programs in the U.S.
Highlighted Work
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