Jackson Hole (Wyoming) Airport completed its terminal revitalization in June 2023, offering a new interior design and updated services featuring multiple dining options, an expanded holding room with a full-length bar, retail venues, additional gates and a whole new travel experience.

Following an earlier design phase, in which the 1970s-era post and beam timber structure was demolished and re-envisioned to facilitate the flow of 21^st-century travelers, new furnishings and architectural spaces now complete the terminal’s redesign. The new terminal represents the eighth project CLB Architects completed for Jackson Hole Airport, with two additional projects now underway, including a new private air terminal and three hangar structures.

© Matthew Millman

As the only U.S. commercial airport situated within a national park (Grand Teton National Park), the new terminal structure was designed as an inextricable extension of its natural environment. New design decisions allow for an easy and stress-free travel experience, with open floorplans and clear sight corridors, as well as abundant large windows framing the runways and Teton Range beyond the terminal, orienting travelers to the next stage of the travel process probably within the dramatic Wyoming landscape.

By maximizing the strict construction height and area limits imposed by Grand Teton National Park, the new design allows an open-ended, flexible space that allows the airport complex space to breathe and flow. Structural supports are given an elegant yet minimal presence, with long-spanning Douglas fir with glued, laminated timber beams, rough-hewn log columns and lightweight steel. A large fireplace anchors the far end of the room, complementing commissioned artwork and drawing travelers into an airy, welcoming and highly functional “living room.”

© Matthew Millman

A convenient grab-and-go counter and comfortable dining area served by a full commercial kitchen are mirrored by floor-to-ceiling views of the Teton Range. Polished concrete benches with leather seats line the glass walls and invite passengers to take in unobstructed views of the stunning surroundings. Underground, more than 3,000 square feet of versatile flex space anticipates the future growth of the airport, awaiting whatever function they may need to facilitate while respecting the building’s 18-foot height limit.

Accommodating upwards of 800,000 travelers annually (Jackson Hole is an extremely popular four-seasons destination), building materials inside the terminal are as rugged as the surrounding mountains. Polished concrete floors make a strong foundation for the public’s heavy foot traffic. Warm and tactile timber elements remind travelers of the vernacular architecture of the American West.

© Matthew Millman

Indirect up-lighting (upward facing lights) creates an atmospheric quality that contrasts with the usual cold, fluorescent lighting of most airport spaces, while complementary warm down-lighting and LED accents ensure retail areas have the visibility air travelers have come to expect.

The renewed Jackson Hole Airport exists as its own hybrid building type, blending an ambiance of “home” and “travel hub,” and emphasizing the terminal structure within its natural surroundings. With its soft lighting, the use of comfortable wood furniture and a large fireplace, travelers passing through the new terminal cannot help but feel they are waiting for a jet plane while in their grandparents’ country home.