Extraordinary Windows – Portland International Airport
Award Submission
August 2024
Extraordinary Windows is a 24-hour digital world, ever changing like nature. we created six virtual worlds based on real Oregon biomes, including mountains, high deserts, coasts and temperate rainforests. These worlds, brought to life on 128 foot screens, surround travelers in the terminal with the sights and sounds of nature. Much more than recorded footage, these worlds are 3D dynamic environments that react to the world around them and change over time, just like true natural environments, so that the illusion of nature delivers the benefits of nature: peace, beauty and refreshment for tired and stressed passengers, while welcoming incoming travelers to the wonders of Oregon’s diverse biomes.
The virtual worlds work by translating data from the airport and the environment, such as weather, time and passenger numbers (measured in TSA line length) into reactive, smart behavior on the screens. As passenger numbers ebb and flow in the terminal, flocks of birds and swarms of butterflies take over the skies on screen. As the weather changes outside, it’s reflected on-screen in ways that are true to the virtual environment shown.
The Extraordinary Windows give passengers a glimpse into a more natural rhythm and a moment of calm in their journey. In the periphery rather than in your face, they’re a counterpoint to the loud and abrasive advertising and announcements that clutter most airports.
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The Port of Portland has invested in transforming Portland International Airport into a groundbreaking architectural space that prioritizes sustainability, longevity, and visitor well-being.
Central to this vision was the terminal’s digital experience. We were tasked with creating an installation that gave busy passengers an atmosphere of tranquility in one of the modern world’s more stressful environments.
Chaos and tension are the new normal when traveling. We're constantly bombarded with stimuli—sights, sounds, screens, and noise—creating an overwhelming environment, especially in shared public spaces like airports. 60% of passengers feel stressed or anxious at various stages of air travel, especially at check-in and security.
We chose to counter this stimuli by drawing on the diverse natural environments of PDX’s home, Oregon.
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According to IATA, “60% of passengers feel stressed or anxious at various stages of air travel, especially at check-in and security.” It’s these moments that Extraordinary Windows was designed to alleviate.
According to the Journal of Consumer Research Study, “62% of people feel mentally fatigued after prolonged exposure to digital advertisements, particularly in high-traffic areas like shopping malls and airports.”And according to the Harvard Health Institute, “Extensive research shows that spending time in nature or simply viewing natural scenes significantly reduces mental fatigue, lowers blood pressure, and enhances mental health and overall well-being.”
With such natural beauty at its doorstep, PDX was the right place for nature to take a role in changing the experience of travel for millions of passengers.
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It was essential that Extraordinary Windows not just look and sound like nature, but behave like nature. It’s this ability to incorporate dynamism, small and big moments that occur “naturally” throughout the day, that enhances the experience’s calming effect. To make it happen, dotdotdash chose Unreal Engine for its visual fidelity and strength in creating living, breathing worlds for video games and other 3D experiences. The engine was heavily customized to create the environments needed, and a custom CMS was built to ensure that the real-time data sourced from NOAA and airport data could be seamlessly incorporated into what’s on the screens. Unreal helped the experience to be reactive: slowing down when lines are long so moments never repeat for passengers, for instance.
In order to create the most genuine environments possible, we undertook an extensive research phase, driving and hiking hundreds of miles across six Oregon environments, scanning rocks, moss and trees and capturing hundreds of hours of footage and thousands of stills. -
Passengers have reported feeling calmer, happier and more delighted by the experience at PDX.
“Going through security now feels like a walk in the forest" - Kate, PDX Traveler
PORT OF PORTLAND in-person intercept survey, Dec 2024 and Wi-Fi survey, Aug 24.
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