PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland International Airport officially opened its new main terminal Wednesday morning, and all eyes were on the sweeping mass timber roof as the first passengers and visitors made their way through the wide-open new pre-security area.
The elegant nine-acre wooden structure is the product of years of work from the Port of Portland in partnership with Native American tribes and local organizations, and Port Director Curtis Robinhold said it's the perfect signature feature for the airport.
"The sourcing of this roof, it all comes from within 300 miles of this spot," he said. "Four Native American tribes, family-owned forests and a nonprofit forest (collaborated) to create this spectacular sort of homage to this region. Something that feels like you're walking through a forest."
One of the tribal partners involved in securing the wood for the roof was Steve Rigdon from the Yakama Indian Reservation. Previously the general manager for Yakama Forest Products, he now works as the Tribal Partner Resource Stewardship Manager for Sustainable NW, and he was at the terminal on Wednesday to witness the grand opening.
He said it was incredibly rewarding to see the terminal finally complete and operational, describing the new roof as a "community regional accomplishment" that will endure for generations.
"It's amazing," he said. "It's something that we're able to come and be a part of, and show our children and grandchildren the benefits from our forests, from our economies, from who we are, come together. And that's really unifying and healing, and that's a beautiful thing."
It's not just the roof, Robinhold added — large sections of the terminal floor are made from locally-sourced hardwood from Zena Forest Products in Rickreall. It's flooring that Robinhold said he expects to last the lifetime of the building.
Most of the shops and restaurants also prominently feature exposed wood, and the terminal is dotted with planters full of trees that stretch nearly to the ceiling, completing the indoor forest feeling.
The overall design is intended in part to future-proof the airport, Robinhold explained. The terminal is one vast, open space, with the check-in counters set up as islands in the middle and the restaurants and shops built into free-standing mini buildings within the open space.
"One of the things we really thought about is how to retain some of that flexibility in this site," he said. "So... this base floor can all be moved around as aviation changes or the needs of travelers in the future changes, we'll be able to move the pieces around."
Sustainability was a major focus when sourcing the wood for the roof, Rigdon explained. The structure is made from Douglas Fir wood sourced from local forests managed through sustainable tribal practices. Much of the wood came from what he called "less desirable" Douglas Fir trees, because the goal was to leave the best trees on the landscape.
The end result of the mass timber process is a roof that is less fossil fuel intensive but can still support the terminal's massive open spaces while being strong enough to survive a major earthquake.
"This is one of the Northwest's modern-day cathedrals," Rigdon said. "And to be a part of that... it’s a beautiful thing."