UNITED AIRLINES WORLD HEADQUARTERS

Chicago, Illinois
Corporate Headquarters, New Construction
450,000 s.f., 4 stories

A design concept was prepared for a series of buildings, located adjacent to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and part of a Master Plan, which would serve as the world headquarters for United Airlines.  Each building was composed of two linear glass and steel elements separated by a multi-story, light-filled central atrium.  Glass and steel bridges spanned between the two halves of the building, through the atrium, to provide interconnectivity between the different departments.  Core elements, such as elevators and stairwells, were minimized in order to maximize a sense of openness and views from the large floor plates.  The design was influenced by details from aviation, including the cross-section of the roof over the atrium which was reminiscent of an airplane wing.