The City of Chicago just selected the architectural team to design the $8.5 billion expansion program for O’Hare International Airport: Studio ORD, the Jeanne Gang-led joint venture, emerged successfully from an international competition which had prominent global firms among the five finalists, including Foster + Partners, Santiago Calatrava, and SOM.
Studio ORD, which is comprised of Chicago's very own Studio Gang, Corgan, Milhouse, STL, and Solomon Cordwell Buenz, will be tasked to design the new Global Terminal and Concourse for O’Hare, the nation's third busiest airport.
"At 2.2 million square feet, the new O’Hare Global Terminal will be one of the largest and most cutting edge terminals in the nation," proclaims the city's announcement. "It will more than double the space at today’s Terminal 2, replacing it with an expanded, light-filled arrivals hall to feature: additional gates; more space for concessions, lounges and public amenities; state of the art new baggage systems; and advanced new technologies to improve security screening."
"For the first time at O’Hare, the new Global Terminal will integrate international and domestic operations, allowing travelers to more easily connect to domestic flights from destinations around the world from under one roof. Additional gate capacity will allow O’Hare’s dual hub partners, United and American Airlines, and their alliance partners to grow at O’Hare, resulting in greater connectivity and competitive pricing for travelers."
"The search for a lead architect was launched by a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) in June 2018, wherein 12 teams submitted Statements of Qualifications. A Request for Proposals (RFP) followed in November 2018 to the five teams that were shortlisted based on the city's evaluation: Fentress-EXP-Brook-Garza Joint Venture Partners; Foster Epstein Moreno Joint Venture Partners; Santiago Calatrava LLC; Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill (SOM); and Studio ORD Joint Venture Partners."
"The O’Hare Global Terminal is valued at $2.2 billion and is currently slated to break ground in 2023. The City will work with its airline partners to ensure a timely, cost-efficient delivery of the new O’Hare Global Terminal and throughout the entire $8.5 billion terminal capital program."
A second team will be selected from the remaining four finalists in the coming months to realize two new satellite concourses at Terminal 1.
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7 Comments
Now knowing the team behind the Studio ORD entry, the choice was one well made. It's strange those two satellite terminals aren't part of the whole though, scary to think they might not speak to the same design as the main terminal.
good. but i hope they give more focus to incorporating the trees into the space; it's the most interesting part of this design. less mall food court more botanical garden would be great.
I thought the design looked good, but Jahn's note makes me think I should look twice. What is his criticism? Gang+co is so inconsistent -- her lux towers are awful, while midsize apartments are good but this airport concept looks better than most antiseptic foster-type schemes.
^ jahn's note reads like the incoherent rambling of a cranky architect. i don't think there's much to them. he ought to sign up and post on archinect he'd fit in well with some of the regulars.
Too often critics question the general role of architecture rather than the role of specific typologies.
precedent?