Recommissioned : An Indoor Aerodrome and Development Center for Unmanned Vehicles in Tillamook's Iconic Airship Hangar

Abstract

This thesis investigates the redevelopment of a WWII airship hangar in Tillamook Oregon as an indoor testing facility and museum for unmanned vehicles. Located on one of the few designated FAA test sites in the country the site gives commercial ventures the opportunity to legally develop, test, and certify their vehicles as the technology seeks to be incorporated into national airspace. Visitors engage the hangar through a series of static and experiential exhibits as a series of platforms and mezzanines that wind up around and through the extensive wooden trusses. The degradation of the current air museum makes a new realignment strategy for the massive structure even more important, in order to preserve the iconic structure for future generations and reconnect to its aviation roots, linking an antiquated technology to that of its contemporary counterparts.