Portland International Airport, Main Terminal Expansion

Portland International Airport, Main Terminal Expansion reimagines travel with a forest-inspired timber roof “This project sets a new benchmark for infrastructure design--celebrating local craft on a global stage. A true beacon of what's possible.”, Valentina Machina, WIN Awards Judge

The Port of Portland set an ambitious brief for the Portland International Airport (PDX) Main Terminal Expansion: accommodate rapid growth to a projected 35 million passengers by 2045, stay operational throughout construction, elevate passenger experience, and materially cut carbon. The design team also had to safeguard seismic resilience and preserve PDX’s much-loved sense of place. Their response is an immersive, biophilic terminal conceived as a walk in the forest, combining intuitive wayfinding, clear zoning, and human-scale interventions to reduce stress and make journeys feel seamless.

At the heart of the scheme is a nine-acre hybrid mass-timber roof that spans the hall with steel girders, curved glulam beams and a mass plywood deck beneath a filigree lattice ceiling. Entire roof cassettes were prefabricated with integrated services, moved across the airfield, and installed at night to keep the terminal running. A forest-to-frame sourcing strategy traced one million board feet of timber to its origins, drawing from FSC-certified and responsibly managed forests within 300 miles to support regional stewardship and local economies. Biophilic moves continue on the ground: 70 trees and 5,000 plants create oases before and after security; warm 3000–3500K lighting softens the vast volume; acoustic strap elements and zoned flooring refine comfort and legibility; and two 120-foot video walls offer a dynamic window onto Oregon.

The enlarged terminal doubles capacity while maintaining clarity. Cross-level planning draws footfall to the mezzanine, aiding distribution and sightlines, while urban planning cues shape intimate, walkable retail streets. With 30 percent of concessions pre-security, PDX invites the wider community in; public terraces overlook the airfield to reconnect people with aviation. Flexible layouts future-proof operations, and materially efficient, low-carbon systems advance environmental performance alongside social value.

Judges praised the project’s regional authenticity and calm, noting clear wayfinding, a deft modular timber expression, and an experience that meaningfully slows travellers. Several described it as a new benchmark for transport interiors, uniting large-scale ambition with craft, intimacy and operational intelligence.

The judges said: “Clear in wayfinding and spatial arrangement.” “Strong use of wood elements that balances modular convenience and specific variations, large scale and intimate details.” “This project sets a new benchmark for infrastructure design--celebrating local craft on a global stage.” “Both psychologically soothing and spiritually uplifting.”