Chicago O'Hare International Airport is about to get a major upgrade: Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Department of Aviation have just unveiled new renderings of the Satellite One Concourse at the travel hub, the first new building set to go up as part of the Terminal Area Program—and it's looking pretty awesome.
"We designed the new satellite concourse to create a frictionless experience for travelers, on par with the best airports in the world," said Scott Duncan, a design partner at Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, in an official statement. "The gate lounges feature column-free expanses for easy wayfinding, high ceilings to improve views and air circulation, and a daylighting strategy to help align the body's natural rhythms–all to make the experience of air travel more pleasurable."
According to an official press release, construction on the new space will kick off soon "in spite of the many challenges of COVID to the airline and construction industries."
Perhaps even more shocking is the fact that current design plans are actually under budget. That's something you don't often hear when it comes to projects of this size especially.
Here are some more details about the look of the new structure, which is actually inspired by the orchard that gave the airport its original name, Orchard Field: inside, travelers ill get acquainted with a tree-like system that will hopefully reduce congestion by maximizing efficiency.
"The branching structural system reduces the embodied carbon of the building, while the building's curved roof profile minimizes heating and cooling needs, strategically overhanging to create shade during peak sun conditions while central skylights create daylit waiting areas year-round," reads the official release. "High-performance mechanical and electrical systems further reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions."
Even more specifically, there will be a connecting path from Concourse C into the new atrium, where travelers will get to relax in a garden-like setting that is going to be flooded with daylight from an oculus skylight above.
Although no official debut date has yet been announced, we're hoping the new concourse will help alleviate some of the delays and pains that come with traveling through O'Hare.
