Chicago O'Hare International Airport has officially launched a $1.3 billion terminal expansion project, with the core project being the construction of a new D-Hall satellite terminal. The hall is uniquely designed, with 19 narrow boarding gates that can be flexibly transformed into 9 wide boarding gates. The interior is planned with 30000 square feet of commercial space, 20000 square feet of lounge, 450 square feet of children's play area, and a 40 foot high, three story iconic atrium. The tree shaped column design pays tribute to the historical memory of the airport's predecessor, Apple Orchard.

The project is undertaken by a joint venture of Aecom Hunt, Clayco, and Bowa. The design team gathers internationally renowned architectural firms such as Skidmore, Owings&Merrill, and Ross Barney Architects, integrating functional and aesthetic innovations. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson emphasized that investing in O'Hare is key to consolidating Chicago's global leadership position in the 21st century, and as the strongest economic engine in the region, its upgrading is imperative.

The project schedule is clear: vertical construction will start in 2026 and D Hall will be completed by the end of 2028. The follow-up plan includes the E hall, 24 boarding gates, the replacement of Terminal 2 with O'Hare Global Terminal, and an underground tunnel system connecting new and old facilities to comprehensively improve the efficiency of passenger, employee, and luggage transfer.

This expansion not only expands the infrastructure, but also reshapes O'Hare's competitiveness as an international aviation hub through humanized design, historical context inheritance, and cutting-edge technology integration, providing a demonstration sample of the triple integration of function, ecology, and culture for the upgrading of large airports around the world, and opening a new chapter in the history of Chicago's aviation.Editor/Cheng Liting