Alongside plans for the world’s tallest wooden tower, another ambitious timber project has arrived in the US. ZGF Architects has revealed an impressive 9-acre (3.6 ha) extension at Portland International Airport (PDX) topped with a massive wooden roof.
The project brings together nine buildings that have been assembled over decades to create a new layout and unites them all under a wooden roof. ZGF Architects carried out the work to minimise disruption to the airport. A key part of this was to pre-fabricate the roof in a factory and then fit it into place.
The roof itself weighs 18 million lb (about 8 million kg) and incorporates glulam (glued laminated timber) and other woods found within a 300-mile (482 km) radius of the terminal. It also contains mechanical and wiring systems with 49 skylights to maximize natural light inside and can withstand severe seismic impacts.
“Given PDX’s location in the Cascadia subduction zone, the new terminal is designed to withstand a magnitude 9 seismic event,” explains ZGF Architects. “The roof is supported by 34 Y-shaped columns with seismic isolation bearings at the top to allow the roof structure to move laterally – up to 24 inches [61 cm] – during a seismic event.”
Dror Baldinger
As is currently a welcome trend in airport design, the interior has been designed to be as pleasant and relaxing as possible. Created in collaboration with Place Landscape Architecture, the structure features 72 large trees scattered throughout the terminal, as well as cascading gardens and more than 5,000 strategically placed plants. The aim is to recreate Portland’s pedestrian-friendly, tree-lined streets.
The airport expansion is part of a larger renovation with a total budget of $2 billion. It is expected to double PDX’s capacity and will help the airport serve up to 35 million passengers per year by 2045. This is the first phase of the project and has already opened to visitors, but the second phase is still ongoing and will be expanded further by 2026.
Source: ZGF Architects