Chicago Department of Aviation has selected Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) to design two satellite concourses as part of an $8.5bn expansion of O’Hare International Airport.
SOM was chosen ahead of four other finalists after a competitive process. The company will design Satellite Concourse 1 and Satellite Concourse 2, which will be constructed west of the main terminal core.
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SOM will negotiate a contract with the City of Chicago before commencing the design work with the 21 stakeholders of O’Hare.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said: “With more than 80 million passengers relying on O’Hare every year, Chicago and our airline partners are making necessary investments today to keep O’Hare number one in the nation for connectivity and a competitive global hub for the future.
“As we build new state-of-the-art facilities, my administration will ensure residents from communities throughout our city can benefit from the thousands of jobs and opportunities created as we move O’Hare into the 21st century.”
Construction on both the satellite concourses is expected to commence in January 2022 and will cost approximately $1.4bn.
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By GlobalDataConstruction of both satellite concourses will start before ground-breaking on the Global Terminal and concourse, a Y-shaped, 2.2 million square foot structure designed by Gang and her Studio ORD team.
SOM will collaborate with Studio ORD to ensure that the design of the satellite concourses matches with the Global Terminal and concourse.
The satellites will add nearly 1.2 million new square feet of total building space and will be able to accommodate both narrow and wide-body aircraft.
Satellite 1 will be used for both international and domestic arrivals and departures, while Satellite 2 will support domestic arrivals and departures with international arrivals for pre-cleared markets.
Chicago Department of Aviation Commissioner Jamie Rhee said: “We congratulate SOM, and we applaud and remain inspired by all of the teams for submitting innovative, world-class proposals.
“O’Hare 21 is a truly transformational programme for the airport and the entire Chicagoland area, revolutionising the passenger experience and providing regional economic growth that will be felt for years to come.”
