Built by Broadwell Air Dome, the air-dome woodchip bulk storage facility at Port Corral in Valdivia, Chile, 20,420 ㎡, is one of the largest industrial air dome structures in South America and also one of the region’s most distinctive air-supported buildings.
Set within the port environment of Corral, the structure is visually striking yet naturally harmonious. Beyond delivering highly efficient storage performance, its design redefines the relationship between industrial architecture and the surrounding environment, creating a restrained and elegant visual balance between a busy working port and the fragile wetland ecosystem nearby.
A Dialogue Between Architecture and Nature: Inspired by Mountain Ranges
The design of the air-dome facility draws inspiration from the layered form of mountain ranges. Its exterior features a gradient of olive green, blue, and white, with textures reminiscent of tree rings. This design approach softens the visual impact of the building’s large scale while allowing it to blend seamlessly into the temperate rainforest landscape of southern Chile.
The green tones echo the dense forest behind the site and the open grassland in front of it, enabling the structure to appear from a distance like a natural hill. In doing so, it effectively reduces the visual intrusion typically associated with industrial buildings in pristine landscapes, truly achieving a concept that is born from nature and concealed within nature.
Broadwell's professional team brought this distinctive design vision to life in the complex port environment.
Technical Highlights: Efficient Storage Performance in a Demanding Environment
Designed for the enclosed storage of woodchips handled at the terminal. The air-dome facility measures 245.344 m in length, 85.664 m in width, and 23.928 m in height, with a total area of 20,420 ㎡.
In terms of foundation design, the project uses double-layer shipping containers as the ground foundation. This solution offers a short installation period while also being relocatable and reusable. Such a lightweight structural approach provides clear advantages for long-distance transport and construction under complex port conditions, fully demonstrating the flexibility of air-supported architecture in industrial applications.
Column-Free Interior Space
Inside the dome, there are no beams or columns, creating maximum clear-span space and flexibility for the efficient storage of woodchips.
Protection Against Rain, Moisture, Dust, and Noise
Given the rainy and windy coastal climate of southern Chile, the air-dome warehouse offers excellent airtightness, protecting stored materials from rain and humidity and thereby improving product quality. At the same time, dust and noise generated during woodchip handling operations are fully contained within the structure, helping protect the surrounding wetlands and port environment.
Enhanced Structural Performance
In addition, the project is equipped with Broadwell’s patented Bias-Pro Diagonal-Orthogonal Steel Cable Net System, which further strengthens the structure’s ability to withstand severe weather conditions such as strong winds and heavy rainfall.
Aerial view of the Port Corral air-dome woodchip storage facility
Project Journey: Global Selection and Public Participation
As one of the key infrastructure projects promoted by Port Corral, the development has been regarded, since its launch in 2024, as more than a construction task. It has also been part of a broader regional public agenda.
The whole process included community consultation, public hearings, and multiple rounds of open discussion, ensuring that the views of residents, industry stakeholders, and environmental organizations were fully taken into account. Through transparent communication and repeated evaluation, the project direction was continuously refined.
Against this backdrop, the project also launched a global solution selection process. After multiple rounds of international comparison and technical assessment, the Broadwell air-dome storage solution was ultimately chosen. In this sense, the selected scheme was not only the best answer in terms of technology and cost-effectiveness, but also a consensus solution shaped by environmental responsibility and community expectations.
Diego Sprenger, General Manager of Portuaria Corral, commented:
“This air dome represents a major transformation in the way port operations are carried out. As one of the first companies in the timber industry to adopt this kind of structure, we have regarded the community as a key participant from the project's inception, always seeking a balance between development and environmental stewardship. This project has attracted attention across the industry and is also a practice of global significance. It will not only help improve material quality and reduce environmental impact, but also promote higher operational standards across the port as a whole. We are very grateful to the Chinese company Broadwell Air Dome for helping us bring this vision to life so successfully.”
Long-range view of the Port Corral air-dome woodchip storage facility
Two Major Milestones: Delivery Capability and New Momentum for South American Ports
The successful completion of this project serves as a comprehensive validation of Broadwell’s global delivery capability. From the remote geographic location and the extended installation cycle, including a continuous 12-hour inflation and commissioning process, to the demanding on-site conditions, every stage of the project tested the team’s ability in systematic execution and cross-functional coordination. It fully demonstrated Broadwell’s mature and robust global service system.
As a leader in high-end air dome standards, the project has become an important milestone in the company’s international portfolio of large-scale industrial applications.
At the same time, the project has injected new momentum into the development of ports in southern Chile. As one of the leading industrial air-dome structures in the Americas, its completion has not only enhanced bulk material storage capacity and operational efficiency at the port but also marked a crucial step forward in the region’s move toward greener and more sustainable infrastructure. In this sense, it is truly a milestone project.
