Behind the scenes
Peek behind the curtains to meet the cool and creative people defining the future of travel at PDX.
Champion for Sustainability: Pooja Kashyap
Published July 10, 2020
“Sustainability” may sound like a vague buzzword. But in the new Concourse E extension, this value comes to life in very real ways. That’s thanks in large part to the advocacy of Pooja Kashyap, an architect at Hennebery Eddy. Over the past few years, she’s championed healthy, sustainable design solutions at PDX. Here’s what she has to say about her experience working on the project.
Pooja wants you to feel relaxed the next time you fly. “I get really excited to work on spaces that will be used by lots of people and touch lots of lives. Airports, in particular, can be really stressful environments for passengers and so I was really excited about the ability for sustainable design features like daylight, views and natural materials to help make people feel more comfortable.”
Good design takes collaboration. And it’s not always easy. “One hard part about this job: When you’re working on a project of this scale, there are a lot of opinions. They come from all sides — from the client, contractors, consultants and designers. And they’re all valid perspectives. The hardest part is finding a design solution that addresses everyone’s concerns. In the end, it creates a better project, much better than if just one person was designing in a bubble.”
She’s helping PDX go for gold. “What makes me proud to be on this project is that it’s on track to meet LEED Gold, which is not an easy achievement for an airport. I’m proud of myself for successfully championing sustainability on this project. And I’m proud of the whole team for working together to design something that’s environmentally responsible, resilient and comfortable.”
Pacific Northwest vibes fill the new concourse. “The parts of Concourse E that I’m most excited for the public to see are the huge windows and the column-free spaces. It is going to be unlike any other gate that you’ve ever waited for a plane in. Because of its high ceilings and the lack of columns, there are amazing views of the Columbia River, of Mt. Hood. It’s such an open, inviting space to be in.”
Working through the pandemic has her refocusing on what matters. “Overall, I’m just encouraged by everyone’s spirit to keep moving forward and keep looking to the future — using this time to spend with your family and assess what’s really important to you. I’m so inspired by the demonstrations all over the world fighting for social justice. As someone who has been fighting against climate change for so long, seeing people working to create real, systemic change shows what we can accomplish when we come together.”
The flexible interior spaces were designed with the future of travel in mind — and to give you plenty of comfortable spots to recharge before your next flight.
Two permanent installations from acclaimed contemporary artist Jacob Hashimoto hang like clouds above the concourse’s common areas.
Shops and restaurants are clustered together like city blocks, with a pedestrian-friendly scale and lots of room to spread out.
Artist Jacob Hashimoto’s canopy of kite-like discs reflects the atmosphere of the Pacific Northwest, with locally inspired graphics incorporated throughout.
Sky-high windows fill the interior with daylight while maximizing the concourse extension’s energy efficiency.
At the east end of the concourse, a wall of windows opens up this epic view of Mt. Hood, where you’ll definitely want to pose for a photo before takeoff.
The Concourse E extension project is the dedicated home for Southwest Airlines at PDX, with six new gates.
Remember the view of Mt. Hood on Concourse E? It’s coming back, brighter than ever.
Tillamook’s menu includes the best of the classics with fried cheese curds and a signature grilled cheese.
Calliope takes its name from one of Oregon’s native hummingbirds and showcases creative and playful keepsakes.
Grab your favorite book, magazine or newspaper at Your Northwest Travel Mart.
Remember the feeling of walking through an Oregon forest for the first time?
That feeling inspired the design of the new Concourse B.
An early movement flow study for the new Concourse B.
The new Concourse B has great exposure to southern light.
Interior rendering for the new Concourse B.
The new Concourse B has Pacific Northwest touches like warm wood panels and indoor greenery.
Exterior rendering of the new Concourse B.
The six new ground loading gates for Alaska Airlines are bigger and brighter.
Our new rental car center opens in 2021.
Movable plants and furniture make the space flexible.
When the new rental car center opens in 2021, you won’t need a shuttle to pick up your car.
Interior acoustical materials help reduce noise.
The new facility also provides more long-term parking, new office spaces, and a new and relocated parking toll plaza building.
A new exit plaza opened in November 2019.
Every design decision we make is about keeping the heart and soul of PDX intact. You’ll see homages to all the things you love about our city and region in the new airport designs.
The new terminal’s wooden roof (as seen in this close-up rendering, right) might remind you of daylight filtering through forest canopies.
You’ll notice subtle nods to Pacific Northwest elements throughout the new space. The ripples and currents of our pristine rivers, for example, are inspiring the undulating flow of the wooden roof, as depicted in this architectural model (right).
We’re filling the new main terminal with a lot of Portland love — both in terms of regionally sourced materials and, well, doughnuts. (C’mon, what would PDX be without doughnuts?)
You’ll see a scene something like this when you enter the more spacious ticket lobby at PDX. This early architectural rendering previews the vision for the iconic wooden roof — inspired by Pacific Northwest nature, craft and our partly sunny skies.
Natural light, living trees and native Oregon foliage might give you the feeling of walking through a park, as this early architectural rendering shows.
Expanding the heart of the airport creates more spaces for the local shops and restaurants you love. Architects are thoughtfully planning these public spaces to resemble the human-friendly scale of your favorite Portland neighborhoods.