When the University of Michigan helipad was relocated to the northeast corner of the medical campus, there were a number of key design requirements: Safety, Aesthetics, Structural Design Life and Cost. A creative solution was required to deliver these requirements and make the helipad as unobtrusive as possible on the site.

Pisa2® was chosen for its well-proven structural integrity, color, texture and design flexibility. The original concept was for a 28 foot high wall, but it was determined that terracing would enhance the design, both aesthetically and in terms of structure, to deliver a 75 year design life.

Railings were not a suitable option for fall protection given the risk presented by rotor blades from helicopters landing on the pad. Therefore, fall protection was achieved with a system of attached nets or grates, anchored behind the wall.

The end result was a helipad that came in on budget which, thanks to landscaping installed on the multiple terraces, blends nicely into its habitat.