Expanding a $2B airport… while it’s still packed with travelers?

Yeah—this wasn’t your typical jobsite.

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Portland International Airport (PDX) needed major construction inside an active terminal moving 35 million passengers a year. Zero shutdowns. Zero room for error.

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That’s where RWES stepped in.

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Project Overview

• Location: Portland International Airport (PDX)

• Project Value: $2 billion

• Size: One million square feet

• Capacity: Doubled terminal size, supporting up to 35 million passengers annually

• 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

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Building Big… Without Shutting Down​

This wasn’t a “close it and build it” project.

Construction happened in phases while the airport stayed fully operational—meaning crews were working just feet away from active passenger zones.

A key highlight:

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• A nine-acre mass timber roof—the largest of its kind in the world

• Built using 3.5 million board feet of wood sourced within 300 miles

• Prefabricated off-site and installed with precision

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All of it happening above an active terminal.

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No pressure, right?

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Built to Move. Built to Adapt.​

As construction zones shifted, RWES moved with them.

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Instead of rebuilding containment walls over and over, crews reconfigured and reused RWES panels—saving time, reducing waste, and keeping conditions consistent across the site.

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Translation: less downtime, fewer headaches, and a jobsite that stayed under control from start to finish.

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The Real Challenge

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Building Inside an Active Airport Isn’t Complicated… It’s Controlled Chaos

You’ve got thousands of passengers moving through the space.
Security requirements. Noise restrictions. Zero tolerance for dust.

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And right in the middle of it—construction crews trying to get real work done.

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One mistake? You’re not just delaying a project… you’re disrupting an entire airport.

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This isn’t a normal jobsite.
It’s a pressure cooker.

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What You're Up Against

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Here’s What Crews Are Dealing With Daily:

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• Dust that can’t escape into public areas

• Noise that has to stay controlled in occupied spaces

• Tight work zones surrounded by active foot traffic

• Constantly shifting phases that change where work happens next

• Deadlines that don’t move—because the airport doesn’t stop

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Everything has to be contained. Controlled. Predictable.

Or things go south fast.

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This Is Where RWES Comes In

In a live airport environment, you don’t get second chances.

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If dust leaks, people notice.
If safety slips, everything stops.
If your setup can’t adapt, you fall behind.

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RWES gives teams the ability to stay ahead—keeping job sites clean, safe, and moving, even as conditions change daily.

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Because “Almost Controlled” Isn’t Good Enough

RWES turns chaos into control.

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It creates sealed, movable construction zones inside active environments—so crews can work efficiently without putting passengers, operations, or timelines at risk.

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Dust stays contained.
Work stays separated.
The airport keeps running like nothing’s happening.

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Exactly how it should be.

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What’s Next​

The next phase of the PDX expansion is already underway, with completion targeted for 2026.

More shops. More restaurants. More capacity.

And through it all—construction keeps moving without disrupting the millions of passengers passing through each year.

RWES will continue supporting year-round work, helping crews stay efficient while the terminal evolves into a next-level travel experience.