The revamped main terminal at Portland International Airport looks incredible (Image: Ema Peter Photography)
Airports aren’t exactly the most relaxing places in the world. Rushing to find the right terminal, paying a small fortune for a single cup of coffee, and getting increasingly convinced your suitcase has ended up on another continent as you wait at baggage claim – only the thought of a holiday makes the experience bearable.
But one heavily-trafficked airport has turned the experience upside down and is aiming to make air travel more pleasant.
The main terminal at Portland International Airport in Oregon has undergone a massive three-year, £2 billion refit and won widespread acclaim, with some branding it one of the most beautiful airports in the world.
The renovated main terminal is designed to be an oasis of calm in what can be an extremely stressful experience.
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It features a beautiful contoured timber lattice roof covering nine acres, 49 skylights flooding the building with natural light, and 5,000 plants, including fully grown walnut and olive trees.
It took six years to source enough wood to build the stunning roof – with all the materials coming from 11 different forests within a 300-mile radius of the Pacific Northwest city.
It was built in segments as large as 40m by 60m, weighing as much as 635,000 kg.
The terminal is designed according to studies showing that natural environments can lower blood pressure—something sorely needed in any airport—and trap carbon to keep the site as green as possible.
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The three-year construction project was extremely challenging. The airport remained open throughout the work, serving around 500 flights every day.
Speaking last year, when the revamped terminal opened, managing partner of architects ZGF Sharron van der Meulen said: “The new main terminal is a testament to the vision of our incredible client, the Port of Portland.
“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.”
They’ve even kept some remnants of the famously naff carpets previously seen in the terminal, which have been a popular feature with travellers snapping ironic pictures for their social media.
Architects also had to consider the chance of an earthquake hitting the Portland area, which is one of the most seismically active regions of Oregon. Studies have shown that there is a 37% chance the region will experience a major earthquake within the next 50 years.
In the event of an earthquake the roof is able to move as one single piece, meaning the chances of a disastrous collapse are significantly lower.
The new terminal is part of a wider project to double the airport’s capacity to around 35 million passengers a year by 2045.
The next phase of the renovation, which will include 11 restaurants and shops, more escalators and exit lanes, is planned to be completed later this year.