Massive expansion is planned for O'Hare Airport; here are 5 plans

Chicago officials on Thursday unveiled five striking designs for a massive expansion of O'Hare International Airport, many with swooping roofs and some with quirky features like hammocks where travelers could take a nap before flights.

The proposals from top architects for the $8.5 billion expansion, whose centerpiece will be a new global terminal that combines domestic and international flights under one roof, are all sleekly modern. Three would put naturalistic touches - clusters of trees, wood ceilings or patches of grass - inside the terminal.

The plans, which can be viewed online, at O'Hare and downtown at the Chicago Architecture Center, are broad-brush visions that leave unanswered nitty-gritty questions about security gates and other aspects of the passenger experience.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel has said that selecting an architect for the