The Damen Green Line Station
Image credit: SIMPSON GUMPERTZ & HEGER
This presentation will provide an overview of the design of CTA’s newest station – the Damen Green Line. Hailed by Mayor Johnson as a “transformational achievement for our City,” this station fills a 1.5-mile service gap, restoring rail service to serve the United Center and the surrounding residential area on the growing Near West Side for the first time since the original station at this location was closed in 1948. The building is a structure-forward collaboration between Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) and structural design partner Drucker Warner Associates (previously DZSE) to deliver a uniquely modern aesthetic envisioned by Perkins & Will architects. The station features unique applications of architecturally exposed ASTM A1085 structural steel, nested nail-laminated timber ceilings, exposed concrete finishes, structural glass enclosures, and cast connections. The result is a light and airy design that puts the structural design on full display.
This presentation will review the design process for the station design features and modifications to existing trackway structures and will highlight lessons that can be applied to future station designs.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the unique design considerations for a new transit station on an active
transit system.
- Understand design considerations for modifying existing trackway structures.
- Learn about novel approaches for architecturally exposed structural elements.
Location
Cliff Dwellers Club
200 S. Michigan Ave, 22nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60604
Menu
- Caesar Salad
- Grilled Filet Mignon Served with Baby Artichoke, Béarnaise Sauce
- Chocolate Mousse with berries
Presentation time: 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Cocktail hour: 5 – 6 pm
Registration
In Person: Member - $75; Non-Member - $115
Live Streaming: Member - $35; Non-Member - $50
About the Speakers
Eric Twomey
Senior Project Manager
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc.
Eric Twomey is a Senior Project Manager in Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc.’s (SGH) Structural Engineering Group. Eric has broad experience in analyzing and designing new building structures, modeling for fabrication, and using materials in new innovative applications. Eric is a leader in three-dimensional modeling and design for fabrication and was the lead structural engineer for the Damen Green Line Station and oversaw the progress of the work through construction.
Christopher Hewitt
Associate Principal
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc.
Chris Hewitt is an Associate Principal and the Chicago Structural Engineering Division Head at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc. (SGH). He is experienced in the design of power, industrial, and transit projects and specializes in structural steel design, impact analysis, dynamic analysis, and interdisciplinary design of complex facilities. Chris oversaw the design of trackway structures on the Damen Green Line project and supported the station design team.
David Rader, RA
Architect and Associate
Perkins & Will
David is an Architect with a passion for improving urban environments through design. He has engaged intensively with the themes of rethinking transit’s impact academically and professionally. Originally from Vancouver, BC, David has been practicing in with Perkins&Will in Chicago since 2019.
His interests in higher education and urban design culminated in David’s graduate thesis, titled Public Infrastructure, at Rice University. This project proposed a partnership between two public entities- the Los Angeles Community College District and LA Metro- to develop a new campus typology which is integrated with transit and extends public space in urban environments.
David is passionate about leadership and investing in others. David co-founded a student mentorship program at the University of Texas at Arlington’s School of Architecture which facilitated engagement between students and architectural professionals.
