11 ms·

The wood is pretty, but as someone who uses this terminal, the key improvement is that they raised the ceiling and significantly increased the amount of natural

The wood is pretty, but as someone who uses this terminal, the key improvement is that they raised the ceiling and significantly increased the amount of natural light. Here's a good photo of what it looked like before: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portland_International_Airport_PDX_check_in_counters_(Quintin_Soloviev).jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portland_Internation... The major functional drawback is that wayfinding for both arrivals and departures is much worse. The overall flow of foot traffic is way more confusing than say, the newer terminals at SFO.

ciabattabread 2y ago
How much in additional HVAC costs result from having high ceilings though?
- CrazyStat 2y ago
  Portland has pretty mild weather. Probably not much.
- lurking_swe 2y ago
  society should have _some_ nice things, not everything needs to be cost optimized to the extreme with a microscope. :) On the bright side, they used timber for almost all of the construction here which is effectively a “carbon sink”, which is unusual for an airport.
obelos 2y ago
In addition to the great lighting, the new design also has much improved acoustics. The sound dampening is impressive. I can have conversations without straining to pick up words through the din of echoes, and the ambience has a nice warm sense of quiet.
- Anechoic 2y ago
  FAA through the National Academies did a research study a few years ago [1] to provide guidance on improving the intelligibility of PA systems and also improving the overall acoustics of airport terminals. The idea is that this guidance would be used for terminal renovations and new construction. It looks like they may have put this to use! (I was on the team but not an author of the final report). https://crp.trb.org/acrpwebresource2/improving-intelligibility-of-airport-terminal-public-address-systems/ https://crp.trb.org/acrpwebresource2/improving-intelligibili...
- Analemma_ 2y ago
  I'm really glad that recognition of acoustics in airport design is gradually gaining steam. As a Seattle resident I'm pretty jealous of people who fly through SFO regularly, because that airport is a joy to wait in because of how quiet it is. Now apparently I get to be jealous of PDX as well.
tadfisher 2y ago
This is Phase 1. Phase 2 will replace the rest of the terminal structure (the part that was open during Phase 1 construction) and directly connect foot traffic to the gates. The long outer walkways are temporary and their walls will be removed.
- swalling 2y ago
  Ah! I thought it was done, but that makes more sense now that I looked at https://www.pdxnext.com/Stories/Details/main-terminal-opening-may-2024 https://www.pdxnext.com/Stories/Details/main-terminal-openin...
  - Sparkyte 2y ago
    It's a lot like Frieza or a battle with Gandondorf. We got more phases before it shows it's real form.
- MostlyStable 2y ago
  That's good to hear. I had assumed there must be more planned (partly because some parts are still boarded off) because the current walk distance from security to the gates is just awful; but it's good to hear confirmation.
Sparkyte 2y ago
I believe the other improvement people don't pay attention to is the new TSA scanners you don't have to take your laptop out.
- stackedinserter 2y ago
  > people don't pay attention Let's start from the fact that people never asked for TSA. It was imposed on them and never went away.
  - argiopetech 2y ago
    There's nothing more permanent than a temporary government measure...
    - kube-system 2y ago
      Almost nobody wanted TSA to be temporary. It was created permanently with near unanimous support, 2 months after airlines' own security had quite an infamous failure.
- argiopetech 2y ago
  They're back to making me take my belt off, though. I had purchased a belt with a plastic buckle specifically for this purpose...
- insane_dreamer 2y ago
  If you had TSA Precheck -- which if you fly more than a couple of times a year is well worth it IMO -- then you already didn't need to take your laptop out (or shoes off). (On the other hand I see no point in CLEAR over Precheck)
  - kube-system 2y ago
    The only point I see to CLEAR is to cut the line in airports where everyone has precheck.
samcheng 2y ago
Does any of the famous carpet still remain? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_International_Airport_carpet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_International_Airport...
- NBJack 2y ago
  Wow. That is an impressive rabbit hole to explore. > She also said that the Port of Portland "understand[s] that people have an emotional connection to the carpet". Not a phrase I expected to read today.
  - darkwizard42 2y ago
    Pittsburgh Airport also has some fairly "famous" carpet. I wonder when they will rip that out. I have fond memories of it!
  - araes 2y ago
    > Features "mood-enhancing colors" We hate your "mood-enhancing" attempt and obsessively collect the old carpet so our living rooms can have actual mood enhancement from the carpet we actually liked. Such demand businesses "could request 1,000 square yards (840 m2)" (out of approx 100,000 m2). Only four (4) were actually made available. [1] Still goes for decent ($200 / sq. ft.) prices online [2] and people still freak out when they spot it somewhere. [3] [1] https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/pdx-carpet/ https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/pdx-carpet/ [2] https://www.ebay.com/itm/176478315730 https://www.ebay.com/itm/176478315730 [3] https://www.reddit.com/r/Portland/comments/10aikmb/old_school_pdx_carpet_spotted_at_the_evergreen/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Portland/comments/10aikmb/old_schoo... > 2022, iconic carpet would be returning to the airport after the terminal was remodeled. Anyways, rabbit hole relevant. "For long you live and high you fly"
  - Arrath 2y ago
    I'm one of those people. My mom was an executive who traveled to DC practically weekly, so I have fond memories of going go PDX often go see her off and pick her up with my dad. That carpet features in those memories.
  - 2y ago
ralfd 2y ago
The indoor trees are wild!
xattt 2y ago
> … wayfinding … is much worse I assumed they would have detached any signange hanging from the ceiling before lifting it. The text would be too small to read otherwise.
wkat4242 2y ago
Oh yeah that was a dark hole. Brr. Much better now.

ciabattabread 2y ago

How much in additional HVAC costs result from having high ceilings though?

CrazyStat 2y ago
Portland has pretty mild weather. Probably not much.
lurking_swe 2y ago
society should have _some_ nice things, not everything needs to be cost optimized to the extreme with a microscope. :) On the bright side, they used timber for almost all of the construction here which is effectively a “carbon sink”, which is unusual for an airport.

obelos 2y ago

In addition to the great lighting, the new design also has much improved acoustics. The sound dampening is impressive. I can have conversations without straining to pick up words through the din of echoes, and the ambience has a nice warm sense of quiet.

Anechoic 2y ago
FAA through the National Academies did a research study a few years ago [1] to provide guidance on improving the intelligibility of PA systems and also improving the overall acoustics of airport terminals. The idea is that this guidance would be used for terminal renovations and new construction. It looks like they may have put this to use! (I was on the team but not an author of the final report). https://crp.trb.org/acrpwebresource2/improving-intelligibility-of-airport-terminal-public-address-systems/ https://crp.trb.org/acrpwebresource2/improving-intelligibili...
Analemma_ 2y ago
I'm really glad that recognition of acoustics in airport design is gradually gaining steam. As a Seattle resident I'm pretty jealous of people who fly through SFO regularly, because that airport is a joy to wait in because of how quiet it is. Now apparently I get to be jealous of PDX as well.

tadfisher 2y ago

This is Phase 1. Phase 2 will replace the rest of the terminal structure (the part that was open during Phase 1 construction) and directly connect foot traffic to the gates. The long outer walkways are temporary and their walls will be removed.

swalling 2y ago
Ah! I thought it was done, but that makes more sense now that I looked at https://www.pdxnext.com/Stories/Details/main-terminal-opening-may-2024 https://www.pdxnext.com/Stories/Details/main-terminal-openin...
- Sparkyte 2y ago
  It's a lot like Frieza or a battle with Gandondorf. We got more phases before it shows it's real form.
MostlyStable 2y ago
That's good to hear. I had assumed there must be more planned (partly because some parts are still boarded off) because the current walk distance from security to the gates is just awful; but it's good to hear confirmation.

Sparkyte 2y ago

I believe the other improvement people don't pay attention to is the new TSA scanners you don't have to take your laptop out.

stackedinserter 2y ago
> people don't pay attention Let's start from the fact that people never asked for TSA. It was imposed on them and never went away.
- argiopetech 2y ago
  There's nothing more permanent than a temporary government measure...
  - kube-system 2y ago
    Almost nobody wanted TSA to be temporary. It was created permanently with near unanimous support, 2 months after airlines' own security had quite an infamous failure.
argiopetech 2y ago
They're back to making me take my belt off, though. I had purchased a belt with a plastic buckle specifically for this purpose...
insane_dreamer 2y ago
If you had TSA Precheck -- which if you fly more than a couple of times a year is well worth it IMO -- then you already didn't need to take your laptop out (or shoes off). (On the other hand I see no point in CLEAR over Precheck)
- kube-system 2y ago
  The only point I see to CLEAR is to cut the line in airports where everyone has precheck.

samcheng 2y ago

Does any of the famous carpet still remain? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_International_Airport_carpet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_International_Airport...

NBJack 2y ago
Wow. That is an impressive rabbit hole to explore. > She also said that the Port of Portland "understand[s] that people have an emotional connection to the carpet". Not a phrase I expected to read today.
- darkwizard42 2y ago
  Pittsburgh Airport also has some fairly "famous" carpet. I wonder when they will rip that out. I have fond memories of it!
- araes 2y ago
  > Features "mood-enhancing colors" We hate your "mood-enhancing" attempt and obsessively collect the old carpet so our living rooms can have actual mood enhancement from the carpet we actually liked. Such demand businesses "could request 1,000 square yards (840 m2)" (out of approx 100,000 m2). Only four (4) were actually made available. [1] Still goes for decent ($200 / sq. ft.) prices online [2] and people still freak out when they spot it somewhere. [3] [1] https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/pdx-carpet/ https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/pdx-carpet/ [2] https://www.ebay.com/itm/176478315730 https://www.ebay.com/itm/176478315730 [3] https://www.reddit.com/r/Portland/comments/10aikmb/old_school_pdx_carpet_spotted_at_the_evergreen/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Portland/comments/10aikmb/old_schoo... > 2022, iconic carpet would be returning to the airport after the terminal was remodeled. Anyways, rabbit hole relevant. "For long you live and high you fly"
- Arrath 2y ago
  I'm one of those people. My mom was an executive who traveled to DC practically weekly, so I have fond memories of going go PDX often go see her off and pick her up with my dad. That carpet features in those memories.
- 2y ago

ralfd 2y ago

The indoor trees are wild!

xattt 2y ago

> … wayfinding … is much worse I assumed they would have detached any signange hanging from the ceiling before lifting it. The text would be too small to read otherwise.

wkat4242 2y ago

Oh yeah that was a dark hole. Brr. Much better now.