Chicago, Ilinnois, USA
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) collaborates with Ross Barney Architects and Juan Gabriel Moreno Architects unveil their plans for “Satellite One,” the expansion project of the O’Hare International Airport that will transform it to “a frictionless experience for travelers,” and it will accommodates various aircraft types, enhancing operational efficiency at one of the nation’s busiest airports.
“The O’Hare Global Terminal is a once-in-a-lifetime project that demands the best in aviation experience and an in-depth understanding, respect, and passion for Chicago’s global leadership in design and culture,” said SOM Design Partner Scott Duncan.
“Working with our long-time aviation partner, Arup, and local design leaders Ross Barney Architects, we’ve assembled a team with an unmatched blend of local knowledge and international experience. We are proud to share a design for O’Hare that is focused on people, sustainability, and the future of Chicago.”
The design emphasizes sustainability, improving the passenger experience, and enhancing airport operations. Inspired by O’Hare’s history as “Orchard Field,” where the airport’s call signal “ORD” originated, the new Global Terminal is defined by light-filled spaces and amenities that reflect Chicago’s cultural heritage and vision for the future.
Upon entering the terminal, passengers are welcomed to a soaring, double-height gathering space, where clear sight lines lead through check-in and security.
Skylights deliver an even, diffused light throughout, reducing the building’s environmental footprint.
The check-in, security and baggage claim halls are covered by a single, undulating, lattice-like long-span roof punctuated by skylights and supported by a series of elegant tree-like columns, recalling the site’s history as an orchard.
To either side of the check-in hall, visitors are invited to take pause in a landscaped prairie replete with local Illinois plants and grasses, offering opportunities for respite.
Designed to meet the needs of travelers from all regions, the retail and concourse areas offer unique amenities to create a local Chicago experience.
In the Neighborhood, the Global Terminal’s retail and culinary hub, passengers can experience a taste of Chicago’s food and arts scene with shops, restaurants, and entertainment drawn from across the city, from Wicker Park to Pilsen, and Little Italy to Andersonville.
The Orchard gate concourse reimagines the airport waiting room experience. Here, you can go outside in a tree-lined garden open to the sky while waiting for your flight, and read a book while resting in a hammock.
Infusing the concourse with greenery from the outside in, the airport is transformed into a place of rejuvenation.
Nearby, spaces for work and play abound: enclosed and open-air children’s spaces, personal cabins, and interactive digital media spaces provide for the needs of travelers of all kinds.
Dedicated facilities to smooth flight connections, increased aircraft gates, efficient baggage and other airline operations and other state-of-the-art aviation technologies will make this terminal efficient to operate and easy to use.
Project: Satellite One Concourse at Chicago O’Hare International Airport
Architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), Ross Barney Architects, and Juan Gabriel Moreno Architects (JGMA)
REnderings: Courtesy of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and Norviska
