The world's largest solid wood airport has opened. Project worth $2 billion

Portland is celebrating the opening of the world's largest glulam timber airport, located in the Portland International Airport (PDX) terminal. The project, a collaboration between architecture firm ZGF and the Port of Portland, is the result of a $2 billion renovation. A key feature of the airport was a 9-acre roof made of solid wood, which creates a Pacific Northwest forest atmosphere inside the building.

The project included the renovation and expansion of the existing terminal to serve up to 35 million passengers per year by 2045 without interrupting operations during the five-year phased renovation. Design features include intimate plazas with trees and stores that are reminiscent of Portland's pedestrian streets, as well as various seating areas with vegetation and seating designed to create an atmosphere of well-being and comfort for travelers.

The project also set new sustainability standards for airports around the world, including a heating system utilizing geothermal pumps and sustainable design strategies that allow the building to withstand earthquakes up to magnitude 9.0. All of the wood used in the project was harvested within a 300-mile radius of Portland and comes from small family-owned logging operations, non-profit organizations, and tribal nations.

This project not only highlights the beauty and potential of using mass timber construction, but also demonstrates a commitment to sustainability.