5 Schemes for ORD 21

John Hill

17. January 2019

Existing Terminal 2, which would be replaced by one of the five schemes, sits at top-center (Image: Screenshot from Caltrava scheme)

Proposals from five teams for the $8.5 billion expansion of O'Hare International Airport (ORD) have been unveiled. The designs focus on a new terminal that would replace the existing Terminal 2.

The five designs for ORD 21 can be viewed online as short, one-minute videos. They are part of a public review process where people can vote on their favorite scheme and provide addditional, if limited input on what needs improvement at O'Hare (e.g. waiting areas, signage, accessibility). Even with the input of the public online and in person at an exhibition of the designs at the Chicago Architecture Center, the selection of one of the teams will be made by an evaluation committee. Yet as pointed out in the Chicago Tribune, the members of that committee are unknown.

The five teams, with some screenshots from their videos below:

Team 1: Fentress-EXP-Brook-Garza Joint Venture Partners
Team 2: Foster Epstein Moreno Joint Venture Partners
Team 3: Studio ORD Joint Venture Partners (led by Studio Gang)
Team 4: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (with ARUP and Ross Barney Architects)
Team 5: Santiago Calatrava