The Port of Portland says that work is underway on a project to update and upgrade Portland International Airport, and has shared some early architectural renderings of the airport’s new main terminal.
“We’re taking the airport that has served the region well for the past 80 years and updating and upgrading it,” said chief projects officer Vince Granato. “While the space will look and feel different, we are keeping the heart and soul of the airport that Portlanders know and love – easy to navigate; bright, open spaces; and local shops and restaurants – it will still feel like home.”
The Port says its goals with the design of the new terminal include a focus on health, well-being and safety for all visitors and travelers. The new terminal will feature nature-infused interiors, earthquake-resilient structure and expanded spaces, which it says will provide flexibility to adapt to new technologies and a growing number of passengers expected in the coming decades.
The region’s landscapes are key inspirations for ZGF, the architects working on the new main terminal. “The roof design was inspired by the forests of the Pacific Northwest and the feeling you get while walking through the woods, the experience of light filtering through the trees, and the protection of the tree canopy,” said Sharron van der Meulen, ZGF partner and lead interior designer for the project.
The architects are bringing elements of the great outdoors to PDX as evidenced by its most prominent design feature: the regionally and sustainably sourced wooden roof with skylights that will stretch across the expanded lobby and ticket areas.
