The O’Hare expansion proposal from Studio ORD (Chicago Department of Aviation)

CHICAGO (AP) — A team of architects led by Jeanne Gang has been chosen to design a $2.2 billion global terminal at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, officials announced Wednesday.

Studio ORD, which includes Gang’s Studio Gang and other firms, will be in charge of designing the 2.2 million-square-foot facility. The terminal will be the centerpiece of an $8.5 billion airport expansion and modernization.

The team’s design features soaring roofs, lots of inside greenery and extensive use of natural wood.

“I think we’re making an incredible statement of architectural excellence that speaks not only to our architectural legacy but our architectural future,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Airport officials said the new terminal will allow travelers to more easily move between domestic and international flights at O’Hare. The project is expected to break ground in 2023 and be completed by 2028.

Studio ORD had been one of five finalists chosen to design the new terminal. Renderings of their proposals were unveiled in January and the public was encouraged to give opinions.

Studio ORD finished third among the 41,000 respondents surveyed, while the team led by renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava finished first.

In a statement, Chicago Chief Procurement Officer Shannon Andrews said Studio ORD was chosen because it had the support of an evaluation committee that included architects and experts in terminal construction and airport operations.

A second team will be chosen from among the four remaining finalists to design a pair of satellite concourses, according to expansion plans.

All costs will be paid by airlines and their passengers, not taxpayers, city officials said.

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