Services provided included full design, project management, and construction administration services for the Federal Express Metroplex at O’Hare International Airport. The building is 280,000 s.f. with 900,000 s.f. aircraft apron on a 35-acre site.The Metroplex is a package sorting facility and is the primary interface between ground and aircraft transportation. The facility contains approximately 75,000 s.f. of office and related flight operations areas. In addition, the Metroplex contains a 25-bay truck dock with 25 additional truck holding positions and two aircraft nose docks with three additional plane parking positions.We met the unique criteria of the clients, the City of Chicago, the O’Hare Development Program (ODP), and the FAA. Due to the facility’s airport location, the FAA and ODP required a nonmetallic exterior. We utilized a creative approach by selecting a GFRC panel system for the exterior design of the Metroplex. The high bay sort area was designed as a free zone from building systems to allow easier future changes to sorting systems. A multistory lounge area and prism entrance structure highlight the entrance to the facility.
