Rows of tree-like columns supporting a soaring, skylit roof, creating the feeling of moving through a tree orchard like those that once filled the land now occupied by O’Hare International Airport.
A floating walkway for international travelers suspended from those same, tree-like columns.
The design for O’Hare’s new, 19-gate satellite concourse will pay tribute to the origins that inspired ORD, the airport code for O’Hare — originally named Orchard Field Airport.
Weeks after hammering out a deal with United and American airlines to rein in cost overruns, Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday joined the architectural team led by Skidmore Owings & Merrill in unveiling the intriguing design.
The first of two satellite concourses, if the budget allows, will be tailor-made to improve the passenger experience and pay homage to a city known around the world for its architecture.
“The experience of Chicagoans and visitors alike while walking through the concourse will be like moving through an orchard. Dappled light will fall from skylights above filtering through the rows of tree columns creating a pleasant and evenly-illuminated space,” Skidmore’s design principal Ryan Culligan told a City Hall news conference.
“Passengers will be connected with landscapes native to the Chicago region, offering a rare opportunity to relax in nature at an airport. International travelers arriving at the airport will travel along a floating walkway that is suspended from above by those tree columns. These travelers will enjoy natural daylight and have expansive views down to the gate lounges and air field below.”
Passengers will access Satellite Concourse 1 using a new circulation bridge through existing Concourse C, with the south end acting “as a hinge” to the new building, Culligan said. The “carefully articulated joint respects the legacy of the Murphy Jahn-designed building by keeping as much of the existing structure and finishes intact as possible,” he said.
The 19 new gates will be able to accommodate both international and domestic flights and varying aircraft sizes.
“Our objective throughout the entire design process has been to create memorable public spaces in the concourse...and to create an experience that celebrates the character that makes Chicago so special,” Culligan said.
The preacher’s son now serving as Chicago’s mayor joked of having instructed the design team to “replicate the Garden of Eden ... without the forbidden fruit, of course.”
Eric Martin, principal of Ross Barney Architects, said an airport is “more than just a departure point.” It offers visitors to Chicago their first impression, and welcomes residents back home.
“The bright spacious areas, the use of natural materials and the seamless flow of people will enhance the comfort and efficiency of travel. … The well-designed public spaces provide weary travelers with a place to unwind and recharge. It serves as a sanctuary to relax, fuel, gather thoughts before continuing their journey,” Martin said.
“Whether it be a peaceful garden area, a comfortable lounge or a bustling marketplace, these spaces cater to the diverse needs and preferences of travelers.”
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To cut costs and appease the two major airlines footing much of the bill, Johnson proposed a major change in the order of construction.
The new agreement will allow the city to proceed with construction and operation of the first satellite concourse while planning a phased construction of the global terminal that would replace what is now Terminal 2. Construction of the second satellite concourse and the connecting tunnel between both new satellite concourses would be completed only if sufficient funds remain after other work is finished.
After receiving regular cost estimates from the city, the city will need approval from United and American before either cutting the scope of the project or spending more than $6.1 billion.
At Tuesday’s news conference, Johnson refused to even entertain the possibility of running out of money before the second satellite concourse gets built.
“We’re committed to the entire operation, to the design. And that’s why we’re phasing it the way we’re doing it,” the mayor said.
When asked to explain what it meant to prioritize the global terminal, Johnson passed the baton to chief operating officer John Roberson, who served as aviation commissioner under former Mayor Richard M. Daley.
Roberson said the city agreed with United and American — O’Hare’s two biggest carriers — that the benefits of having a new global terminal were primary for O’Hare’s future.
“The way that we decided to sequence the work was to move forward in a way that would accelerate the completion of that so our airline partners would have the functional benefits, our passengers would have the terminal benefits and that we, as an airport, would also have the infrastructure that we need to continue our growth so that we are not just the best airport in the country. We are the best airport in the world,” Roberson said.
