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BEFORE YOU TAKE OFF CARPET CAMEO PDX’s Iconic Teal Carpet Was Replaced Several Years Ago, But Swatches Can Still Be Found

BY SARAH BELING

Left: PDX’s iconic carpet, removed during the PDX Next capital program, will turn up in random places throughout the refurbished terminal. Above: PDX’s carpet – which dates back to the late 1980s – developed a remarkable following on social media and has been the backdrop on thousands of foot selfies over the years.

W hen Portland International Airport (PDX) debuts a new main terminal this May, there will be plenty of new and innovative design touches, along with one nod to an old one. The light filled, plant-populated modern space will also feature a bygone relic of the airport’s history - its iconic 1980s teal carpet. Shoe-selfie-friendly swatches of the well-known airport landmark will soon appear at the pre-security “meet and greet” areas as well as yet-to-be disclosed corners throughout the facility, creating a nostalgic scavenger hunt for PDX frequent flyers. A veritable Pacific Northwest cultural phenomenon, PDX’s teal carpet wasn’t always a part of the airport’s quirky reputation. When PDX’s main terminal opened in 1956, its flooring was a brown terrazzo pattern, followed by a tenure of blue carpeting with a Port of Portland seal. But when the airport installed a jaunty, jazzy geometrically-patterned teal carpet in 1988, travelers took notice. Beloved by locals and visitors for decades, the carpet sprouted its own highly-popular social media accounts, tattooed traveler tributes, a day-long Comic Con-style Carpet

Fest and the honor of grand marshaling the city’s Rose Festival Starlight Parade in 2015. It also inspired local Portland brands to recreate the signature teal, purple, and pink color scheme in everything from IPA labels to socks to dog bandanas, garnering more than $1 million in airport merchandise sales. But after nearly 30 years, PDX’s teal carpet began to appear a little too well-loved. As plans progressed for the $2.15 billion dollar PDX Next renovation project, the airport’s team made the difficult decision to replace the carpet. When PDX’s Vince Granato - now head of special projects for PDX Next - held a press conference to announce the move, “he was surprised to find a room filled with reporters.” Outpourings of love quickly appeared on social media, where mourners gathered to decry the flooring’s imminent demise. “Now when I visit home, it won’t be there to greet me :(,” read one comment. Another posited: “Biggest mistake in the Portland area ever!” Opportunistic outlet retailers even turned the removal into a fire-sale opportunity, selling patches of the carpet to a line of willing buyers. “I don’t think any of us anticipated the response from the community,” says Granato.

As work progressed on the PDX Next renovation, “it became clear that the community didn’t want to say goodbye — absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?” says Allison Ferré, media relations manager for Port of Portland. While much of the new terminal will retain a gray terrazzo floor, “Travelers were very understanding about replacing the carpet with a smoother surface that’s easier for wheelchairs, assistive devices, and roller bags to navigate,” says Ferré, “but certainly appreciate that their backdrop for shoe selfies isn’t gone for good.” Granato adds that the PDX team appreciates “the fact that everybody in this community has that deep connection to PDX through that carpet — I don’t feel like we should lose our history.” PDX Next architects agree. “I always joke that if we didn’t use the carpet and our name was associated with this terminal project, we’d probably be run out of the city,” says Sharron van der Meulen, partner and interior design lead at ZGF . Everybody “loves the PDX carpet and the sense of nostalgia that it evokes,” adds lead designer Gene Sandoval. “We are excited to bring it back, because it was an amazing element that connects the airport through all of its renovations and expansions.”

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AX NEWS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024