The modernization of Los Angeles International Airport’s (LAX) Terminal 4 Headhouse and South Concourse was more than an expansion—it was an architectural statement. Led by PGAL, the design vision drew heavily on mid-century modern and modern cubism themes to create a cohesive aesthetic that would define the passenger experience.
For CertainTeed, this was a five-year journey (2020–2024) of collaboration, engineering, and fabrication across multiple U.S. and international facilities. The result is a bold ceiling system whose oversized coffers have become the hallmark of the terminal’s new identity.
The Vision: Demanding Performance and Daring Design
PGAL’s goal was to translate their mid-century cubist concept into a ceiling that was both functional and iconic. The design centered on large, coffered forms that would anchor the visual language of the terminal and concourse while integrating lighting and acoustics into a seamless system. To complement the bold geometry, the architects sought materials and finishes that combined durability with warmth, including custom
wood-look battens.
At the same time, every element had to perform under the demanding conditions of one of the busiest airports in the world. CertainTeed was engaged from the earliest design stages to help make these ambitious ideas both buildable and scalable, all while preserving the integrity of the architectural vision.
The Challenge: Complex, Custom Ceilings
Executing the ceiling design for Terminal 4 posed a series of complex challenges:
Custom Geometry
The design called for oversized, coffered ceiling panels with clean, modern lines. The 12’ x 12’, 36”-tall coffers were far beyond standard ceiling solutions, demanding new approaches in product design and fabrication.
Los Angeles International Airport
Three Systems in One
Each coffer required a unique combination of custom extruded aluminum framing, vertical aluminum honeycomb wall panels, and Decoustics oversized fiberglass ceiling panels.
Precision Engineering
Mounting heavy-duty aluminum profiles, integrating lighting fixtures, and aligning acoustical panels at such a scale required design-assist modeling, 3D printing, and continuous coordination with PGAL, specialty contractors, and fabrication teams.
Global Coordination
With custom extrusions fabricated in Belgium and the Netherlands, honeycomb and Decoustics panels came from North America, and powder-coated battens sourced and finished across multiple sites in the U.S. and Canada, timing, logistics, and quality control were critical to keeping the project on track.
Complex Installation
Panel sizes, finish details, and system integration went well beyond typical off-the-shelf solutions, requiring deep collaboration between CertainTeed, contractors, and the design team from early design through final installation.
The Solution: Custom Fabrication and Close Coordination
CertainTeed played a central role in solving these challenges, delivering a fully integrated system that married design ambition with buildable solutions. Oversized dimensions and precise detailing ensured seamless integration with lighting and HVAC systems while meeting the design vision.
Custom Extruded Aluminum Profiles
Heavy-duty 10” and 14” wide profiles formed the structural base of the coffers, doubling as mounting channels for vertical panels and concealed uplighting.
Used as vertical coffer walls, these lightweight yet rigid panels provided stability while maintaining the crisp, cubist geometry.
Decoustics Oversized Fiberglass Panels
Custom torsion-spring panels traversed the tops of the coffers, ensuring acoustic control and visual continuity across vast spans. The fiberglass panels helped reduce noise and reverberation in busy terminal areas, supporting passenger comfort.
CertainTeed supplied three distinct powder-coated finishes, developed with PGAL, to soften the space and add warmth to the modernist palette.
This was not a single product installation, but rather a coordinated system of custom materials designed, engineered, and fabricated through extensive collaboration. Global sourcing was supported by close coordination between CertainTeed’s U.S.-based teams in Norcross, Conyers, and Woodbridge, and our international manufacturing partners.
The Results: Performance-Driven Beauty and Innovation
Los Angeles International Airport
The completed ceilings of Terminal 4 now embody PGAL’s vision of mid-century modern cubism, realized at an unprecedented scale. The exaggerated coffers provide striking visual rhythm while delivering acoustic comfort, integrated lighting, and lasting durability.
From preconstruction planning and design to product fabrication and delivery, CertainTeed worked with our partners throughout the lifecycle of the project. By working as a design partner—not just a supplier—CertainTeed helped translate architectural vision into technical reality.
The project demonstrates how custom-engineered ceiling systems, supported by global fabrication and precise coordination, can create spaces that are not only beautiful but also high-performing and resilient.
LAX Terminal 4 now stands as a global benchmark in airport design—proof of what’s possible when architecture and manufacturing work hand in hand.
Original article, Mid-Century Ceilings Soar at LAX, written by John Wyatt for Walls & Ceilings.