AIRPORT CITY FOR CHICAGO

Santiago Calatrava is the public favourite out of the five international teams currently shortlisted for their designs for the airport. The complex will feature a vaulted, light-filled terminal hall, framed by a glass façade with a sweeping shell-inspired roof. The idea is to reincarnate the old grandeur of travelling and inspire wonder and imagination. 

Calatrava’s design goes beyond the terminal with a complementary campus also proposed, creating the idea of a holistic ‘Airport city’ where airlines, hotels, conference centres and retail outlets circulate a transport interchange that offers links to the city centre.

The early design combines the terminal with the gate’s concourse to create a seamless complex, which establishes a ‘centre’ for the airport and allows for easy transfers between airlines from terminals 1 to 3. The location also removes the need for a potential automated people mover (APM) to terminal 3. 

Calatrava’s ambitious idea is centralised in the customer experience. The design will allow for the distance between gates, terminals and APM stations to be significantly reduced, with retail and food outlets featured in the centre of a spectacular, light-flooded public space, adjacent to the gates. The compact design of the building would reduce the building’s environmental footprint by 10 percent and envelope by 30 percent and allows for additional space for aircrafts to be situated. 

The unique design is a clear reference to the City of Chicago. The shell motif of the terminal’s roof is an allusion to the city seal, while the green space, which includes an orchard, evokes the early history of the site and allows for passengers to relax in a thriving garden space. the APM station in the centre of the terminal is shaped like the Chicago ‘Y’, which represents the Chicago River and its two branches. 

The O’Hare Global Terminal will house all operations for departures and arrivals, including tickets, check0ins, screenings, transfers for international arrivals, lounges and the retail and dining complex. A flexible baggage hall will allow for a configuration that adjusts in real=time to consumer needs.

The new terminal will be opened to the public in 2028.

All images courtesy of Chicago Department of Aviation