Portland International Airport Terminal Core | Jensen Hughes Project Experience
For our 2023 summer travel series, we are highlighting Portland International Airport’s ten-year renovation of the terminal core. This project originated through one of our creative legacy firms, Code Unlimited, and has continued through their joining Jensen Hughes with added fire protection expertise from our global team of experts.
ZGF Architects' biophilic mass timber concept called for an analysis unlike any other done before. The design team not only needed to prove structural resiliency, but also assurances in the event of a fire to protect one of the largest timber roofs in history.
In order to keep the one-of-a-kind design concept from going up in flames, our team took a deep look at structural performance through a detailed heat, smoke, and finite element analysis of the columns for the exposed wood canopy. We examined each part of the assembly system, all the way down to the grout, to determine the appropriate protocols for this unique and progressive project and prove bringing extensive natural wood into the building could be done safely and without additional risk to the occupants.
We also looked at the comprehensive building layout in tandem to account for the effects of fire scenarios and combustible loading in surrounding areas with full sprinklers. This multi-layered analysis provided recommended actions to meet the fire and life safety requirements for the jurisdiction and get our client’s environmentally driven concept cleared for takeoff.
In-Video Photography Provided courtesy of Portland International Airport
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