RWES Helps Keep Portland Airport’s $2B Expansion Moving
The Portland International Airport (PDX) just got a major upgrade, marking a significant milestone in the RWES Portland International Airport Expansion. The new main terminal has doubled in size and can now handle 35 million passengers each year. Designed by ZGF Architects for the Port of Portland, the project covers one million square feet and celebrates the Pacific Northwest’s natural beauty.
A Roof Like No Other
The star of the show is the nine-acre mass timber roof—the largest in the world, part of the RWES Portland International Airport Expansion project. It’s made from 3.5 million board feet of wood, all sourced within 300 miles of PDX. The wood came from family-owned forests, nonprofits, and tribal nations.
The roof was built in sections off-site and then lifted into place. This saved time and cut carbon emissions by 70%compared to building a whole new terminal. Inside, the design feels like a walk through the forest, a vision of the RWES Portland International Airport Expansion. There are tree-lined retail spaces, garden-style plazas, and big windows with airfield views. Skylights flood the space with natural light.
Building While Staying Open
PDX stayed open during the entire five-year build, a key aspect of the RWES Portland International Airport Expansion. That’s no small feat for an airport that serves more than 20 million travelers each year. Instead of starting fresh, the team chose to renovate and expand in place. This meant crews had to work around passengers, security areas, and daily airport operations.
Where RWES Made the Difference
This is where RWES (Reusable Weather Enclosure Systems) played a huge role in the RWES Portland International Airport Expansion. The panels moved from one area to another as the work progressed. Each time, they sealed off active construction zones from the public.
RWES made the job safer, cleaner, and faster:
- Keeps out the weather – Blocks 99% of rain, wind, and snow.
- Holds back dust and noise – Protects travelers from construction mess.
- Safe for crews – Built-in fall protection meets strict safety standards.
- Looks professional – No flapping blue tarps. RWES has a clean, solid finish that blends with the site.
- Reusable – Panels move to new locations as the project advances, cutting waste.
Sustainable and Strong
The new terminal is built for the future. It uses all-electric heating and cooling, cutting energy use by 50% per square foot. And it’s ready for the unexpected—engineers designed it to stand up to a 9.0 earthquake.
The Team
- Client: Port of Portland
- Architect & Interior Design: ZGF
- Structural Engineer: KPFF, Arup
- MEP Engineer: PAE, Arup
- Geotechnical Engineer: GRI
- Civil Engineer & Airside Planning: HNTB
- General Contractor: Hoffman Skanska Joint Venture
- Pre-Construction: Turner Construction
What’s Next
The next phase is already underway and will wrap up in 2026. It will add even more shops and restaurants plus new exit lanes. RWES will keep doing its job—helping crews work year-round without slowing down passenger traffic, continuing the legacy of the RWES Portland International Airport Expansion.
Portland International Airport (PDX) has unveiled its newly expanded main terminal, opening the doors to a reimagined passenger experience and doubling capacity for the future. Designed by ZGF Architects for the Port of Portland, the one-million-square-foot expansion can now accommodate 35 million passengers annually by 2045—all while paying tribute to the Pacific Northwest’s natural beauty.
A Record-Breaking Mass Timber Marvel
At the heart of the $2 billion project is a nine-acre mass timber roof, the largest of its kind in the world. Crafted from 3.5 million board feet of locally sourced wood—from family-owned forests, nonprofits, and tribal nations within 300 miles—the roof spans the expanded lobby, check-in, and security areas. This prefabricated approach not only accelerated the build schedule but also reduced embodied carbon by 70% compared to constructing an entirely new terminal. It is a centerpiece of the RWES Portland International Airport Expansion.
Inside, passengers walk beneath sweeping timber curves, past tree-lined retail spaces, plant-filled plazas, and panoramic airfield views. The design was inspired by the experience of strolling through a Pacific Northwest forest, with abundant skylights flooding the terminal with natural light.
