The carpet design at the Portland Airport has long been hailed as a distinct part of Portland itself; quietly at first, by locals noting its calming teal background and the geometrically pleasing composition (representing the intersection of the north and south runways).
This casual acknowledgment reached consensus over time. Somehow the red, blue, and purple rectangles ingrained themselves into Portland culture, so the decision to install new carpeting took many by surprise when announced in 2013. Now anyone and everyone is trying to capture the soon-to-be nostalgia before the project is complete next year—including Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard.