The Chicago Department of Aviation has revealed the design for Satellite Concourse 1 at O’Hare International Airport, one of the nation’s business airports.
Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), with Ross Barney Architects, Juan Gabriel Moreno Architects (JGMA), and Arup, the concourse will be the first new building in the Terminal Area Program, the largest concourse area expansion and revitalization in the airport’s almost seven-decade history.
The Terminal Area Program includes two new satellite concourses, a new O’Hare Global Terminal replacing Terminal 2, and an underground tunnel connecting the facilities.
Satellite 1 will be one of Chicago’s first domestic-international codeshare concourses. It will accommodate different aircraft bodies, providing operational efficiency for both carriers and layover passengers.
“We designed the new satellite concourse to create a frictionless experience for travelers, on par with the best airports in the world,” Scott Duncan, SOM design partner, said in a statement.
The gate lounges will offer ample daylighting, column-free expanses for easy wayfinding, and high ceilings to improve views and air circulation—“all to make the experience of air travel more pleasurable,” Duncan said.
Inspired by the orchard that gave O’Hare its original name (“Orchard Field”), the design features a tree-like structural system inside the concourse. This system eliminates almost half the columns at the gates, reducing congestion and enabling more efficient boarding and better visibility.
The branching structural system also reduces the building’s embodied carbon. The curved roof minimizes heating and cooling needs, with overhanging to create shade during peak sun conditions. Central skylights create daylit waiting areas year-round. And high-performance mechanical and electrical systems reduce energy use.
A connection from the existing Concourse C will drop passengers in an atrium where they can wait in a garden-like setting below a skylight. The interior features a natural palette with sound-absorbing materials.
The SOM-led team was selected in 2019 to design the airport’s two satellite terminals. Despite the pandemic-related challenges for the airline and construction industries, the design for Satellite 1 is currently under budget and on track for construction. Onsite pre-construction work is under way.
On the Building Team:
Owner: City of Chicago
Design architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) with Ross Barney Architects, Juan Gabriel Moreno Architects (JGMA)
Structural engineers: SOM with Arup and Rubinos & Mesia Engineering (RME), Inc.
Construction managers: AECOM Hunt Clayco Bowa
Related Stories
Airports | Feb 6, 2015
Zaha Hadid-designed terminal in Beijing will be world’s largest
The terminal will accommodate 45 million passengers per year, and will be a hub for both air and rail travel.
| Jan 2, 2015
Construction put in place enjoyed healthy gains in 2014
Construction consultant FMI foresees—with some caveats—continuing growth in the office, lodging, and manufacturing sectors. But funding uncertainties raise red flags in education and healthcare.
BIM and Information Technology | Dec 28, 2014
The Big Data revolution: How data-driven design is transforming project planning
There are literally hundreds of applications for deep analytics in planning and design projects, not to mention the many benefits for construction teams, building owners, and facility managers. We profile some early successful applications.
| Dec 28, 2014
AIA course: Enhancing interior comfort while improving overall building efficacy
Providing more comfortable conditions to building occupants has become a top priority in today’s interior designs. This course is worth 1.0 AIA LU/HSW.
| Dec 28, 2014
The future of airport terminal design: destination status, five-star amenities, stress-free travel
Taking a cue from the hospitality industry, airport executives are seeking to make their facilities feel more like destinations, writes HOK's Richard Gammon.
| Dec 15, 2014
HOK-designed Anaheim Regional transit hub opens, expected to serve three million per year
ARTIC’s flexible design ensures that it can serve as a southern terminus for California’s future high-speed rail system.
| Dec 8, 2014
Moshe Safdie wants to reinvent airports with Jewel Changi Airport addition
A new addition to Singapore's Changi Airport, designed by Moshe Safdie, will feature a waterfall and extensive indoor gardens.
| Nov 19, 2014
The evolution of airport design and construction [infographic]
Safety, consumer demand, and the new economics of flight are three of the major factors shaping how airlines and airport officials are approaching the need for upgrades and renovations, writes Skanska USA's MacAdam Glinn.
| Nov 18, 2014
Grimshaw releases newest designs for world’s largest airport
The airport is expected to serve 90 million passengers a year on the opening of the first phase, and more than 150 million annually after project completion in 2018.
| Nov 14, 2014
JetBlue opens Gensler-designed International Concourse at JFK
The 175,000-sf extension includes the conversion of three existing gates to international swing gates, and the addition of three new international swing gates.