Chicago, IL

Belmont Station Gateway

Scope/Solutions

As part of the Your New Blue program, the Chicago Transit Authority is re-envisioning fourteen Blue Line stations. The new Belmont entrance, inspired by a waterfall from the bygone Olson Park, is animated when it rains and water cascades down the sloping canopy. The gateway’s striking steel-framed petals and its placement on the site make it a neighborhood beacon, guiding commuters to the rail station and regional bus stops, and symbolizing the area’s revitalization. SGH consulted on the structural design and prepared structural bridging documents for the canopy.

SGH provided structural engineering support for the conceptual design of the freestanding open roof structure with a 60 ft cantilever and its deep foundation system. Highlights of our work include the following:

  • Collaborated with the project team to evaluate concepts, including aesthetic and functional aspects
  • Completed parametric modeling for different framing plans to evaluate deflections and optimize the size of the architecturally exposed structural steel framing, considering varying cantilever lengths and beam/column diameters
  • Provided parameters used for virtual wind tunnel studies and incorporated the results into our structural analyses to finalize the framing concept
  • Worked closely with the steel casting fabricator, CastConnex, to develop cast-steel connections where the primary framing loops intersect
  • Prepared bridging documents and a structural support narrative

Project Summary

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2019

Completion Date
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17M

Construction Value
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AWARD

Winner
Solutions
New Construction
Services
Structures | Advanced Analysis
Markets
Infrastructure & Transportation
Client(s)
Ross Barney Architects
Specialized Capabilities
Computational Mechanics | AI & Automation

Key team members

Matthew Johnson
Matthew Johnson
Principal
312.754.7504 mhjohnson@sgh.com
View Bio
Connor Bruns
Senior Project Manager
781.370.9689 cjbruns@sgh.com

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