Chicago’s Union Station Great Hall celebrates its second holiday season as an updated facility, complete with its skylight replacement and renovation. Metal Architecture magazine recently featured the $22 million, three-year project’s success story highlighting Linetec’s contribution to the new Super Sky system and Goettsch Partners’ multi-layered design solution. Click here to read the article.
Through the decades, the skylight system had deteriorated leading to water damage to the skylight and to the walls of iconic, 1920s, Beaux-Arts styled Great Hall. Soaring 115 feet above the floor, the renovated Hall now features a two-tier skylight system: the original restored, 177-foot-long, barrel-vault system and a new, 187-foot long, high-performance system installed approximately 5 feet above it by Super Sky Products Enterprises LLC.
Enhancing the durability and minimizing future maintenance, Linetec finished the new skylight’s aluminum framing in a Bone White, 70% PVDF resin-based architectural coating. These painted coatings hold up under continuous exposure to solar heat and light, as well as Chicago’s wind, rain and snow. Important to transportation and historic properties, they are formulated for premium durability – shielding the aluminum against weathering, pollution and aging; resisting long-term chalking; and retaining their color and gloss.
In addition to its durable painted aluminum framing, the new skylight is composed 878 individual lites of Viracon’s VE1-2M high-performance, insulated, heat-strengthened, laminated, clear glass with low-e coating. Demonstrating the skylight renovation’s success, natural light increased 50% within the Great Hall.
The combination of high-performance materials on the new skylight plus the updated old skylight proved to be a success. The two-tier skylight system maintained Union Station’s historic appearance; increased natural light within the Great Hall; improved moisture control, energy efficiency and durability; complied with current codes; as well as minimized future maintenance.
Today, Chicago Union Station is the third busiest in the U.S. serving 3 million Amtrak customers and 35 million Metra passengers annually. As the station approaches its 100th anniversary, it has been re-envisioned and restored to a level that suits the 21st century.
Whether working on a historic renovation or a modern new construction, Linetec offers customers a single source solution providing both painted and anodized finishing for aluminum wall cladding and architectural products, as well as other value-added services and specialty finishes.
Let us know how we can assist you with your next project.