An Airport for Timber Lovers | PDX

Design details matter

Courtesy PDX Airport

If you want to discover a great contrast in design, take a flight from Denver to Portland, Oregon. And look up and around while walking through the main terminals. Both airports are undergoing massive renovations. The aesthetics are completely different, and show just how much the details matter.

Courtesy PDX Airport

At DIA, the Denver airport, the look will be sleek and modern, with the tent roof structure meant to evoke the Rocky Mountains remaining the stark focal point of the main terminal. While the alpine character of the mountains loom large here, the reality is that we live in a high plains desert, and the landscape is quite harsh. This is what DIA feels like to me - beautiful yet stark.

It’s been a few years since I had flown into PDX, the Portland airport, and the renovations were new. As a woodworker, they completely resonated. No thoughts on custom furniture or making decisions here, just highlighting some wonderful woodwork on a grand scale.

The main terminal how has a curving, undulating timber roof. It covers 9 acres! Designed to reflect and respect the rich history of the timber industry in the pacific northwest, the design is truly a reflection of the forest.

The timbers were sourced within a few hundred miles of Portland, from a wide variety of sources, from mills to large and small landowners. There are plenty of indoor trees. It truly evokes the feeling of being in a forest.

Custom Wood Furniture | Colorado

The curves in the wood really struck me as we walked through the terminal. I’ve written previously about my love for curves in furniture (Curves for Fine Furniture blog post) so it’s no surprise that I was gazing upwards while most people were staring down at their phones. The even spacing of the timbers established an interesting visual rhythm that the undulations softened and made comfortable and accessible.

The wood is its natural color which, of course, is the proper call here. No stains or other coloring to detract from the natural beauty. The spacing of the structure allows light to shine through, just as in the woods. The overall design is relatively simple, yet completely effective. It’s a comfortable space that helps ease the craziness of flying.

For those of us that love the feeling that natural timbers bring, PDX has hit it out of the park. It’s a good reminder to look up and around now and again. You might just see something you like.

Courtesy PDX Airport