Portland International Airport gets new carpet. People revolt; Foot Selfies & Tattoos

[bradl]

I heard this last night on my local NPR stations rebroadcast of a story. As an aviation buff, not only did I think this was cool, but I thought it was rather funny.. all of this fracas over some carpet...

Then I saw it. It's actually pretty cool!

From Slate, via NPR:

This Airport’s Beloved Carpet Has Inspired Foot Selfies, Tattoos, and an IPA
By 99% Invisible

Portlanders have a tradition when visiting their Oregon airport: taking pictures of their feet. It’s not to show off their shoes but rather what’s under them. They are documenting the famous Portland International Airport (PDX) carpet.

The PDX carpet is a loud, decidedly ’80s geometric pattern over a vast sea of teal. The carpet, it is said, is based on the way the runways and lights look from the air traffic control tower; another story has it as representative of the air traffic control radar screen.

Wherever the design comes from, one thing is for sure: The carpet is very, very beloved. There are even signs in the airport now saying, “Tweet your feet!” and an official #pdxcarpet hashtag.

The carpet has inspired some Portlanders, including Emma Milkin to get tattoos of the design.

Another Portland resident, Jeremy Dunn, created PDX carpet socks.

Now, shops at PDX sell all kinds of wares emblazoned with the carpet pattern: T-shirts, coffee mugs, throw pillows, tote bags, stickers, key chains, bike helmets. There’s even a PDX Carpet IPA from Portland brewery Rogue.

But even though it is beloved by locals and has buy-in from the airport itself, the carpet’s days are numbered. The carpet is being replaced. Work crews use a machine called a Panther to tear up the old carpet. With 13 acres to clear, the airport projects that the old carpet will be out by November. Four 1,000-square-yard pieces will be made available to businesses or individuals with a plan for how to keep the pattern alive.

But in the PDX airport, the carpet will disappear. And it will not be replaced with the same beloved pattern. The decision to replace the carpet was made back in 2008, before all the foot selfies and #pdxcarpet.

The new design is reminiscent of the old carpet, but it’s a darker green and has a more intricate pattern. The busyness of the new design actually help hides dirt and other wear and tear. In fact, there’s an extra-busy version of the new design that PDX will use in higher-traffic areas.

So far, Portlanders are far less enthusiastic about the new floor pattern. You just can’t manufacture a cult following for an airport carpet. It has to happen on its own.

This week's episode was reported by Julie Sabatier, host of the podcast Rendered (formerly Destination DIY). Julie spoke with carpet superfan Emma Milkin; Jeremy Dunn, designer of PDX carpet socks; Robin McCaffrey, engineering project manager at the Port of Portland; Mike Mackley of 4M Floor Covering; and Michelle Vo of Hennebery Eddy.

The Portland Timbers pro soccer team has a fan scarf based on that design that they apparently can't keep in stock. There is even a dedicated Instagram, Twitter feed, and Facebook page. Perhaps the Trailblazers could rock that for their basketball jerseys one night. Either way, I want that shirt. Any users up in the PDX area know if they sell it online?

BL.

 

[vkd]

To yet another inane level human ignorance stoops.

 

[Tomorrow]

You just can’t manufacture a cult following for an airport carpet. It has to happen on its own.

The puzzling part here is the belief that it has to happen at all.

 

[Aspasia]

Excellent example why mandatory voting should never be instituted.

 

[ucfgrad93]

The puzzling part here is the belief that it has to happen at all.

Excellent example why mandatory voting should never be instituted.

To yet another inane level human ignorance stoops.

Agreed. This is just beyond belief.

 

[CrickettGrrrl]

Such harsh responses over some people's fondness for a charming carpet pattern.

Yeah, stamp out all charm then, it gets in the way of ruthless efficiency.

 

[aaronvan]

Besides being vaguely mid-century, what's so special about that carpet pattern?

 

[bradl]

Besides being vaguely mid-century, what's so special about that carpet pattern?

From Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_International_Airport_carpet

To reduce the amount of noise created by people walking across hard terminal floors, the Port of Portland contracted SRG Architects to design new carpet for PDX in 1987. John Schleuning, SRG principal and co-designer of the carpet, visited several airports before deciding what to create for PDX. SRG steered away from the earth tones traditionally used by airports in the 1980s, incorporating blue and green into their design early on and hoping to evoke "northwest to the core". Its pattern featured geometric shapes on a teal background, an abstract depiction of the intersecting north and south runways seen by air traffic controllers from the airport's tower at night. Acres of the carpet were installed by the early 1990s.[1] Over time, the carpet gained a cult following. Multiple social media accounts were dedicated to it and more than 20,000 pictures were posted to its official Instagram hashtag (#pdxcarpet). Airport visitors were often seen taking pictures of their feet on the carpet.

Further:

http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/t...brief-history-of-the-pdx-carpet-december-2013

There is no other carpet in the world that has the cult following that the Portland Airport International airport's enjoys. It has its own Instagram tag (#pdxcarpet), no fewer than three related Twitter accounts, not to mention a growing collection of socks and t-shirts.

So what's the story behind it?

Designed by SRG Architects in 1987, the iconic carpet was a big change for the Port of Portland. In those days, PDX employees were sick of hearing the click and clack noises that repeatedly smacked the hard terminal floors. The airport was ready to welcome locals home with cozier floor.

SRG principal John Schleuning (who helped design the carpet) recalls visiting at least five different airports before buckling down to design the PDX carpet

“Airports were just like subways!” says Schleuning. “They were very utilitarian.”

Earth tones (think beige and oatmeal) were standard for airport carpets in the 80s, Schleuning says. Indeed, he says one airport chose its dull carpet color to blend in with fallen cigarette butts.

The SRG team wanted the carpet to be northwest to the core, so they settled on blues and greens early on in the design phase. The final pattern corresponded to Portland's intersecting North-South runways, as seen from the control tower.

Call it 'pride', like speaking 'NorCal', or "Who Dat" in New Orleans, or Cheeseheads, or 'da Bulls'.

BL.

 

[aaronvan]

From Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_International_Airport_carpet

BL.

Cool, thanks. Sea-Tac will never do this because it would cover all the brass salmon.

 

[mobilehaathi]

I didn't realize people put so much thought into carpet visual design at an airport.

 

[Huntn]

Such harsh responses over some people's fondness for a charming carpet pattern.

Yeah, stamp out all charm then, it gets in the way of ruthless efficiency.

Agreed, I wonder why the negativity towards this story. Based on the tattoo, it's the pattern that has the impact, not the individual element. I like the newer design too, but I prefer the bolder blue and I'm picky about how to use blue.

 

[CrickettGrrrl]

Agreed, I wonder why the negativity towards this story. Based on the tattoo, it's the pattern that has the impact, not the individual element. I like the newer design too, but I prefer the bolder blue and I'm picky about how to use blue.

I've always found blue to be a tricky color to incorporate in interiors. It's generally considered a "safe" color because most people like blue, but the right blue takes a lot of thought. I think the Portland airport architectural design team did a pretty good job with this pattern & palette, the fact it's endured so long is testament to that. Most people may have forgotten already, but there was a ton of bilious mauve & grey back in the '80's.

 

[Huntn]

I've always found blue to be a tricky color to incorporate in interiors. It's generally considered a "safe" color because most people like blue, but the right blue takes a lot of thought. I think the Portland airport architectural design team did a pretty good job with this pattern & palette, the fact it's endured so long is testament to that. Most people may have forgotten already, but there was a ton of bilious mauve & grey back in the '80's.

My favorite color growing up was turquoise if that qualifies for blue. My room was painted in that color. Now while I still like it, i would not use that color in my house, although I've indulged myself (with the concurrence with the wife), with a living room in forest green and a dining room in... muave. I could not stand an entire house with such rich colors, preferring off whites or creams.

 

[FieldingMellish]

I like the pattern as an individual element and in series as the designer intended. But I would not foot selfie nor tattoo with it. In the 70's these kinds of spontaneous group behaviors were called happenings.

 

[CrickettGrrrl]

My favorite color growing up was turquoise if that qualifies for blue. My room was painted in that color. Now while I still like it, i would not use that color in my house, although I've indulged myself (with the concurrence with the wife), with a living room in forest green and a dining room in... muave. I could not stand an entire house with such rich colors, preferring off whites or creams.

I should have qualified the tricky blue as a pastel baby blue, and probably my personal bias, like smacking into a mental stop sign.
FWIW, my room as a teenager was mostly turquoise walls with a few white walls, including a big black & white mural on one based on Picasso's "Don Quixote". Ah, fond memories.

Any rate, good designers take into account all sorts of things. Light is very different from place to place and therefore color too.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Fascinating thread and topic, bradl. Thanks for posting this. I hadn't known about it and find it fascinating to read. What a charming and original reason for the pattern on a carpet. Brilliant.

I didn't realize people put so much thought into carpet visual design at an airport.

Personally, I deeply regret that much more thought is not given to the design of public spaces, and the stuff that gets to be used by the public in those same public spaces.

The difference between a well designed and poorly designed, (or even, at its worst, an antagonistically designed) space is stunning and can have an enormous impact on how that space is perceived and used.

 

[mobilehaathi]

Fascinating thread and topic, bradl. Thanks for posting this. I hadn't known about it and find it fascinating to read. What a charming and original reason for the pattern on a carpet. Brilliant.




Personally, I deeply regret that much more thought is not given to the design of public spaces, and the stuff that gets to be used by the public in those same public spaces.

The difference between a well designed and poorly designed, (or even, at its worst, an antagonistically designed) space is stunning and can have an enormous impact on how that space is perceived and used.

Well, I don't disagree. It's just all the airport carpets I've encountered have been rather insipid....

 

[aaronvan]

My favorite color growing up was turquoise if that qualifies for blue.

Mine was aqua, and I think they both are members of the blue family.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Well, I don't disagree. It's just all the airport carpets I've encountered have been rather insipid....

I think many such things are designed - or planned - with cost and convenience primarily in mind, rather than how this could best benefit an intelligent and thoughtful use of a public space.

This is the sort of thing that is only brought home to you - or driven home - when you actually encounter something that is well designed, with sympathy, thought, ergonomics and the needs of the people who will use it in mind.

Then, of course, you find yourself wondering why most design cannot conceive of doing this, and you realise (reluctantly) that other criteria - other than intelligent public utility - usually given priority at the planning stage.

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

To fully understand this, I think it requires some time spent in Portland. It is a neat place, and if you can get past the rain and courteous drivers, it is a magical place.

I fell in love with my wife on a date to Washington Park, where the sun was going down, and we sat on a park bench talking for 2 hours, and we could see the sun gleaming off the KOIN tower.

We had a beautiful house and great neighbors, that we are still in contact with 6 years later in Sherwood.

The airport is nicely laid out, and whenever I fly in there, it is a great experience, and the carpet just makes it quirky, but unforgettable. It's just neat.

 

[Peace]

Keep portland weird

 

[Scepticalscribe]

To fully understand this, I think it requires some time spent in Portland. It is a neat place, and if you can get past the rain and courteous drivers, it is a magical place.

I fell in love with my wife on a date to Washington Park, where the sun was going down, and we sat on a park bench talking for 2 hours, and we could see the sun gleaming off the KOIN tower.

We had a beautiful house and great neighbors, that we are still in contact with 6 years later in Sherwood.

The airport is nicely laid out, and whenever I fly in there, it is a great experience, and the carpet just makes it quirky, but unforgettable. It's just neat.

Keep portland weird

Agree with both posts.

I get the sense that Portland is an unusual place - with an amazing culture - in the wider cultural context of the US; I read about a wonderful coffee culture, lots of bicycles, and it is the home of one of my favourite groups, Pink Martini.

And now, to read of a terrific tradition in the carpet at the airport. Wonderful, and it seems to be very much in keeping with the spirit and traditions of the place.

 

[bradl]

Cool, thanks. Sea-Tac will never do this because it would cover all the brass salmon.

Don't be too sure about that.. For all we know, at the part of the terminal where all of Alaska Airlines' gates are, they could be putting in another dedication to the Salmon-Thirty-Salmon:

Besides, they are the only airline in the world to ever have a mid-air collision with a fish; hence why they have this livery.

BL.

 

[aaronvan]

...it is the home of one of my favourite groups, Pink Martini.

My wife loves Pink Martini.

Besides, they are the only airline in the world to ever have a mid-air collision with a fish; hence why they have this livery.

BL.

Awesome! Poor Mr. Eskimo must have been smacked right off of the rudder, though.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Don't be too sure about that.. For all we know, at the part of the terminal where all of Alaska Airlines' gates are, they could be putting in another dedication to the Salmon-Thirty-Salmon:

Image

Besides, they are the only airline in the world to ever have a mid-air collision with a fish; hence why they have this livery.

BL.

Great story, and fantastic livery.

My wife loves Pink Martini.



Awesome! Poor Mr. Eskimo must have been smacked right off of the rudder, though.

Actually, - in addition to having all of their albums on CD (well, on my iPod), I had the wonderful privilege of seeing Pink Martini perform live during a European tour which they gave three years ago; they were utterly professional, and absolutely brilliant.