Photo: Ema Peter
Out of all construction materials, concrete is undoubtedly the most popular. It’s durable, versatile, and cost-effective and adorns countless buildings across the globe. A new airport terminal in Portland, Oregon, however, opts for one of the world’s oldest materials instead: wood.
Designed by the architecture firm ZGF, Portland International Airport’s (PDX) Main Terminal expansion serves as the largest mass timber project of its kind. The project boasts a dramatic 9-acre, open-lattice mass timber roof, incorporating 3.5 million board feet of wood from family-owned forests, non-profits, and tribal nations.
Unlike concrete, whose carbon footprint is up to 5% of worldwide emissions, these materials aid PDX’s standard of sustainability. All of the wood for the terminal was sourced locally within a 300-mile radius of PDX, emphasizing the project’s site specificity and responsiveness to its surroundings. ZGF’s redesign also doubles the main terminal’s capacity while achieving a 50% reduction in energy use per square foot through a highly efficient, all-electric ground-source heat pump.
As its centerpiece, it’s only fitting that the terminal’s roof is as sustainable as it is impressive. Bathed in natural light, the roof’s wooden slats curve and bend like tree branches, recalling Oregon’s beloved forest landscape. Other architectural elements such as concessions, flooring, and feature walls similarly achieve this effect, reminding visitors of the region’s natural beauty.
“The design evokes the best of our region yet offers other airports a new model for how to expand and renovate in place to meet the travel demands of the future generations,” Sharron van der Meulen, ZGF Managing Partner, says in a statement.
Indeed, it’s unsurprising that the PDX redesign owes so much to Oregon’s environment. The state is covered in nearly 30 million acres of forestland, and Portland even has a 5,200-acre public park forest just west of its downtown neighborhood.
“With the new PDX, we wanted travelers to know they were in the Pacific Northwest before they even left the airport. And for locals, we wanted it to feel like home,” says Vince Granato, Chief Projects Officer at the Port of Portland. “Creating that sense of place started with ZGF’s spectacular design, which was brought to life by thousands of local craftspeople, using locally made materials. That’s what makes this project so special.”
The project’s second phase is currently underway, involving the creation of additional retail and dining amenities as well as new exit lanes. This phase is anticipated to be completed in 2026.
To learn more about their projects, visit ZGF’s website and follow them on Instagram.
Designed by the architecture firm ZGF, Portland International Airport has a new main terminal.
Photo: Ema Peter
Photo: Ema Peter
Photo: Ema Peter
The new PDX main terminal features locally sourced wood and celebrates Oregon’s unique forest landscape.
Photo: Ema Peter
Photo: Dror Baldinger
Photo: Dror Baldinger
Photo: Ema Peter
The main terminal’s centerpiece is a 9-acre mass timber roof incorporating 3.5 million board feet of wood.
Photo: Ema Peter
Photo: Ema Peter
The project also emphasizes sustainability while also doubling the airport’s total capacity.
Photo: Dror Baldinger
Photo: Dror Baldinger
A second phase for the PDX main terminal is currently underway and slated for completion in 2026.
