SOM unveils ‘branching’ structural design for new Satellite Concourse 1 at O’Hare Airport

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