The Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten initiated a reconstruction project after two back-to-back Category 5 hurricanes in late 2017. The storms caused significant damage, rendering the terminal building inoperable and forcing the airport to provide limited services from temporary facilities for several years.
The need for a modern, resilient building capable of withstanding future weather events was immediately apparent.
Dynamic Closures played an integral role in the reconstruction of the terminal building, providing numerous custom-designed side-folding doors and roll-up shutters used to secure areas in the Arrivals and Departures areas. A small team from Dynamic traveled to St. Maarten twice throughout the multi-year project for installation.
Understanding the Problem
Dynamic Closures’ scope of work included designing, manufacturing, and ensuring the proper installation of custom airport security doors.
Time and Operational Constraints
The airport was scheduled to remain operational during the renovation, demanding that all parties carefully coordinate, communicate consistently, and adapt as project timelines shifted to ensure the doors were installed on schedule.
Unique Design Aesthetics
The airport’s new design featured flowing curves and patterns to create a sense of movement, which could be found in everything from the storefronts to the terrazzo floors.
Jack Roy, VP of Sales and Marketing at Dynamic Closures, remarked, “The airport was looking for a solution that would allow tenants to secure their shops without compromising the airport’s unique design.” The new doors would require significant customization to ensure the doors matched the curved storefronts and the architect’s vision.
Security with Visual Access
The new closures were also expected to provide a physical barrier to prevent unauthorized access as well as visual transparency so that security personnel could have clear lines of sight within the retail spaces.
Logistical Complexities
The remote location of the airport required extra time to account for shipping, and constant communication among all parties was needed to manage international logistics.
Cultural Diversity
The project involved teams from various countries, each with distinct cultures and languages.
Environmental Considerations
St. Maarten’s saltwater climate required that the materials used to construct the doors be corrosion-resistant.
Collaboration
Successful completion of the project relied on effective collaboration with many stakeholders. Dynamic Closures worked closely with project managers, architects, steel contractors and installation crews.
- Project Managers: A project management firm oversaw the airport’s reconstruction. Project managers maintained constant contact with all parties involved, providing updates on the latest project timelines, logistical requirements, and on-site conditions.
- Architects: Architects established the airport’s overall aesthetic featuring curving lines and flowing patterns, including terrazzo floors that created distinct color patterns. Dynamic Closures worked closely with the architects to design doors that would accommodate the curved storefronts.
- Steel Contractors: Structural steel contractors—responsible for fabricating and installing the steel columns that formed the storefronts—gave Dynamic Closures access to their CAD drawings to ensure accurate alignment and installation of the new doors.
- Installation Crews: Dynamic Closures worked alongside local crews from multiple countries and collaborated with different teams during each phase of the project.
Solution: Custom-Designed Side-Folding and Roll-Up Doors
Dynamic Closures designed, delivered and oversaw the installation of 37 custom doors tailored to meet the airport’s security and aesthetic requirements. A combination of Slimline side-folding doors and Lift-Ready overhead models provided the ideal solution.
Perforated Panels
All doors were constructed using perforated aluminum panels. The design of the Slimline Paravent and Lift Ready Ventana models offered a physical barrier while allowing for 50% visibility and plenty of airflow. The perforation addressed the need for security and an open feel. As a result, security personnel could easily monitor the retail spaces.
Corrosion Resistant Aluminum
Using anodized aluminum addressed the challenges found in a humid, saltwater environment. This choice of material provided inherent corrosion resistance, ensuring the doors would maintain their appearance and functionality over time without the need for extensive maintenance.
Custom Curved Enclosures
Dynamic Closures’ ability to custom bend side-closing security doors allowed the enclosures to integrate perfectly into the flowing lines of the overall design.
Jack emphasized the importance of this capability to clients like St. Maarten’s International Airport, stating, “Our in-house customization capabilities set us apart; we can bend the door track to any radius. This is a process that often adds significant lead time for our competitors.”
Space Optimization
The narrow profile and compact stack of Dynamic’s Slimline Paravent doors minimized the required pocket size, opening up valuable floor space for tenants. Jack from Dynamic Closures noted, “Our SlimLine doors offer a sleek, discreet profile that architects love—the smaller pocket size maximizes usable square footage without sacrificing performance.”
The airport welcomed this space-saving feature as it allowed room for additional revenue-generating displays and provided a more comfortable environment for visitors.
Secure Locking Mechanisms
Each door was also equipped with key-operated locks for additional security.
Process: From Design to Installation
The multi-year reconstruction of the international airport terminal, spanning 2021-2024, faced many shifting timelines and evolving requirements. The complexity of a large-scale endeavor such as this extended to every aspect of the project, including the security doors provided by Dynamic Closures.
Design
Dynamic worked closely with the architects and the project managers to align the door specifications with the airport’s functional, aesthetic, and security needs. This phase involved numerous design reviews and revisions, which ultimately helped mitigate issues during the manufacturing and installation stages.
Manufacturing
After all designs were approved, Dynamic proceeded with manufacturing and custom enhancements.
Shipment
Upon completion, the doors were packaged and shipped to St. Maarten via cargo container. Each package was labeled by room number according to the architectural plans, which simplified the unloading and distribution of the doors upon arrival in St. Maarten.
Departures Installation (Phase 1)
Dynamic Closures sent a two-person team to St. Maarten for a week to oversee the installation of the doors in the Departures area. This phase involved installing 26 doors, many of which were side-folding.
On-site, Dynamic Closures worked alongside a local crew of approximately twelve people. Communication was initially a challenge due to the multinational crew, but the combined teams overcame this using Google Translate and visual aids.
By the end of the week, approximately 90% of the Departures doors were installed, allowing tenants secure, worry-free access to their spaces to complete interior work.
Arrivals Installation (Phase 2)
Dynamic Closures returned to St. Maarten less than a year later to oversee the installation of the remaining eleven doors in the Arrivals area.
The team worked with local crews again, although many new members had joined since the previous visit, introducing additional cultural nuances to navigate.
Additionally, Dynamic revisited the Departures area to ensure the previously installed doors were operating smoothly and made minor adjustments as needed. Jack and his colleagues from Dynamic project managers and staff to ensure they could handle future maintenance and adjustments.
Proven Results: Dynamic Closures Security Solutions
The installation of 37 custom Dynamic Closures security doors at Princess Juliana International Airport delivered all objectives—they enhanced security, optimized space utilization, and delivered a visually stunning design utilizing durable, corrosion-resistant materials.
The success of this project demonstrates Dynamic Closures’ ability to deliver high-quality solutions through innovation, collaboration and a customer-centric approach. It also highlights Dynamic’s unique in-house capabilities to powder-coat enclosures and custom bend side-folding door tracks to any radius. These services ensure projects meet specifications without the added time and cost of third-party involvement.
Whether you’re interested in optimizing security, maximizing space, or ensuring a seamless aesthetic fit, Dynamic’s expert team will work with you to design security doors, grilles and shutters that meet the exact needs of your project.
Our solutions are highly adaptable and can be customized for various industries across North America, Europe, and Australia, including:
- Retail storefronts and kiosks
- Financial institutions
- Sports stadiums
- Educational facilities
- Pharmacies
- Hospitals
