Passenger Terminal World - Passenger Terminal World Annual Showcase 2025
The expanded main terminal at Portland International Airport sets new standards for passenger experience and sustainable airport design by doubling passenger capacity while halving energy use
2024-10-18 14:20:47
ONE WITH NATURE
Oregon’s Portland International Airport (PDX) in the Pacific Northwest recently unveiled Phase I of its renovated and expanded main terminal, designed by global architecture firm ZGF.
Frequently cited as one of the USA’s best airports, PDX has long been respected – even prior to renovation – for its design, amenities and accessibility, and for its emphasis on local businesses and artists. The expanded terminal builds upon that reputation and improves the passenger experience while doubling passenger capacity and cutting energy consumption in half.
The project team achieved this by staying focused on the principles of sustainability and human experience – putting people and nature at the center of a strategy to create a sense of place that is specific to Portland. This approach not only connects the airport and the people who pass through it, but also engages the entire Pacific Northwest – honoring the important relationship between the airport and the region it serves, as well as the long-term resilience of both.
Prioritizing comfort and ease… and joy
Travel can be so joyful and fulfilling, and yet airports are often hectic and stressful, putting the whole experience at risk. In the US, travel demand soared in 2024. The Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) repeatedly set new daily records for the number of people screened in US airports. The highest record went up to as many as three million people per day. To meet growing demand, PDX set dual goals to double its capacity over the next two decades while keeping the terminal fully operational throughout construction and to maintain – and even improve – the positive experience for which the airport is known.
In fact, the design team upped the ante. Now, as travelers arrive at PDX’s expanded terminal, they’re immediately welcomed by a warm and inviting yet massive wooden roof – 380,000ft2 (35,300m2) of undulating mass timber – paired with an interior landscape that creates a soothing dappled light effect as it reflects lush Pacific Northwest forests and draws people in to their journey. The pre-security area features a local marketplace, where visitors, passengers and employees can sit comfortably on tiered stadiumstyle seating. The wood canopy frames extensive views all the way through the terminal, offering travelers clear sightlines to security and beyond, and minimizing anxiety over what lies ahead. An expansive glass curtain wall invites people to observe airplanes taking off and landing and evokes the romance of air travel from a bygone era.
Biophilic design strategies such as abundant interior landscaping, natural light and natural materials are also intended to spark moments of delight, as they contribute to reduced stress. Other necessities are designed to optimize comfort and ease. Developed in close coordination with the TSA, private screening rooms include access to natural light and ventilation, and offer space for family or other travel companions. All-user restrooms are similarly designed to reduce stress, with large banks of single-stall facilities ensuring comfort and privacy for everyone, including multigenerational travelers such as parents with small children or aging adults with caregivers.
"The renovated airport takes cues from the city of Portland’s intimate, approachable spaces"
Infusing local character
Already beloved for its local personality, the renovated and expanded airport takes cues from the city of Portland’s intimate, approachable spaces. Beyond the security checkpoint, PDX’s new terminal is imagined as a series of rooms, offering a variety of spaces to rest and recharge along the traveler’s path toward their gate. This comfortable scale makes it easier to get around and understand the airport. It also ensures that a variety of people with different needs and wants can each feel a personal sense of connection and find moments of delight as they move through the airport. Well-placed art and music that represent the region’s history and culture, and local retail brands and restaurants all contribute to Portland’s unique and specific sense of place.
In direct contrast to past prototypes of US terminals, PDX’s intentional openness and extensive airfield views, which are balanced by the pedestrian corridors and intimate spaces to pause, offer a clear and consistent reminder of where you are – surrounded by the Pacific Northwest woods, as only Portland could be.
Honoring regional industry and craft
PDX represents the community it serves in a very authentic way through its connection to timber, which is one of the oldest, largest natural resources in the region. The airport’s mass timber – all 3.5 million board feet of it – is sourced locally from Oregon and Washington forests within 300 miles of PDX and 1 million board feet can be traced directly to its forest of origin. This established a direct and transparent connection between ZGF’s design team and the landowners and mills, creating better outcomes for both regional forests and the people who manage them.
Care for people and nature
Sustainability was a priority from the start of the PDX expansion project and drove the design strategy to rely on timber and to renovate in place instead of building an entirely new terminal, reusing much of the airport’s existing infrastructure in the process. The use of wood, steel and salvaged materials reduced embodied carbon emissions for the structure by 70%.
Prioritizing the health and wellness of passengers and employees was also a goal and has been achieved through the airport’s comprehensive biophilic design strategy. This connection to nature, established through the terminal’s interior landscape and daylighting, leads to reduced stress, increased cognitive performance and improved mood. Building materials were also specifically chosen to minimize carbon emissions and to avoid volatile organic compounds and other unhealthy chemicals.
A highly efficient ground source heat pump and a significant percentage of spaces with access to natural light and ventilation work together to maximize thermal and visual comfort, and to cut energy consumption in half. Overall water consumption is also projected to decrease, even as passenger volume doubles over the next decade.
Planning for future changes
The hallmark of the design – the mass timber long-span roof structure – enabled 100 x 150ft (30 x 45m) bays between the columns, supporting seamless passenger flow and sightlines. The long spans also have the benefit of supporting the long-term flexibility and adaptability of each space as operational standards or passenger processing needs evolve.
Finally, the design also sends a clear signal that safety is paramount. PDX is located within the Cascadia subduction zone, where a tectonic fault presents a risk of significant seismic activity. The terminal’s columns are designed to enable the roof and exterior wall system to move as much as 24in (0.6m) during a seismic event to minimize significant structural damage. Additionally, the passive heating and cooling systems and incorporation of natural daylight all provide for passive survivability after being disconnected from the power grid.
Portland International Airport has enjoyed a strong and positive reputation for years, so its renovation and expansion had to be considered thoughtfully and strategically to make the experience even better. By putting people and nature at the center of that strategy, and restoring the joy of travel, ZGF has further strengthened PDX’s connection with the Pacific Northwest region and contributed to their mutual longevity.
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