Union Station 2020: Burnham Prize Competition 2008, Chicago, USA • October 2008

Burnham Prize’s competition brief asked “for the conversion of Chicago’s Union Station into a high-speed rail hub, market, and meeting place.”

This project has been developed through the combination of three different strategies, one for each of the problems stated in the competition brief. Thus, there is a preservation strategy or how to act within the limits of Union Station; a railway strategy or how to transform the standard railway station typology; and a hybrid building strategy or how to mix uses. The combination of these three strategies is achieved through a continuous surface that simultaneously allows for a seamless mix of uses while encouraging walking as the most healthy and environmental human activity.

Thus, our project proposes a walkable building: an environment where the mixing of uses is enhanced by walking as the only means of accessing upper floors.

Diagrams describing the circulation typology used and how it has been adapted to Union Station and neighboring site.

Circulation, contour lines, and massing diagrams

Ground floor plan

Mezzanine floor plan

Second floor plan

Typical middle floor plan

Typical upper floor plan

Elevations and section

Adams Street night elevation

Canal Street day elevation

This proposal’s siting strategy divides the traffic arriving to and departing from Chicago into the two different buildings. Union Chicago becomes the first space passengers see when arriving to Chicago. The newly proposed Railway Station is the last space passengers experience when departing from Chicago. The outdoor relationship between both buildings constitutes an urban corridor.

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Design Team Sergio López-Piñeiro, Katie Conwell, Joseph Piwowarski with Niina Tsuchiya, Wesley Lam
Project Location Chicago, USA
Surface Area 475,000 sf
Construction Budget N/A
Development Status Competition