Portland International Airport shines with Natural Light and Organic Architecture

PORTLAND, Oregon, Aug. 15, 2024 

The Portland International Airport (PDX) main terminal expansion opened to passengers on August 14. Designed by ZGF for the Port of Portland, the one million square foot (93,000m2) project doubles the capacity of PDX and enables the airport to welcome 35 million passengers annually by 2045.

The Portland International Airport (PDX)
The Portland International Airport (PDX) main terminal expansion opened to passengers. Photography credit: Ema Peter Photography

Featuring a 9-acre (37,000m2) mass timber roof, the new terminal evokes the feeling of walking through a Pacific Northwest forest. Views to the airfield, abundant natural light, and interior landscapes that reflect the natural beauty of the region are present throughout the passenger journey.

The expanded terminal is the largest mass timber project of its kind, and it is designed with people and place at its heart. Intimate plazas with tree-lined retail concessions recall Portland’s pedestrian-friendly streets. Urban furniture and plant-filled gathering places at various scales invite travelers to relax and enjoy their surroundings in a sanctuary of well-being.

Portland Airport architecture
As passengers leave ticketing and enter the central threshold, daylight filters through the mass timber roof lattice and large skylight openings, like light filters through the trees within the protection of a tree canopy.- Photo used with courtesy.

Instead of building an entirely new terminal, the Port of Portland and ZGF decided to renovate and expand in place, keeping the airport fully operational throughout five years of phased construction while realizing schedule, time and carbon savings. The strategy was made possible, in part, by a prefabricated wood roof that spans the expanded lobby, check-in, and security areas.

An engineering marvel, the mass timber roof is the centerpiece of the expansion. It celebrates the state of Oregon’s history of forest product innovation while showcasing what is possible for the future of mass timber design and sustainable wood sourcing. All of the 3.5 million board feet (8,250 m3) of wood for the roof is sourced from within a 300 mile (480km) radius of the Portland Airport and includes wood from small family-owned forests, non-profits, and tribal nations.

The project’s sustainable design sets a new standard for airports worldwide. The main terminal achieves a 50% reduction in energy use per square foot with a highly efficient, all-electric ground-source heat pump while doubling terminal capacity. A second phase of the project is underway now and will complete in early 2026.

Venkat

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