With the goal of rooting traveler's in their current location, the design team worked with an artist to transform NASA satellite photos of the Chicago area into a brilliant mosaic tile pattern. The pattern was printed onto the partition glass panels using Goldray's digital ceramic printing process, achieving a high resolution, full color image. Once installed, the panels depict a continuous image that starts with the waters of Lake Michigan and flows seamlessly through to the shallow shores, inner city, and on to the rural farmland outside Chicago. Once visitors reach the atrium, the pattern begins to vary, ensuring the flow of natural light without diminishing its privacy function.

To create a cohesive design throughout the terminal, complimentary decorative glass was installed in the airport restrooms and on balustrades surrounding the second floor mezzanine. Visible to both arriving and departing passengers, the balustrade features a graphic representation of popular flight patterns, positioning Terminal 5 as the "Gateway to the World" and creating an innovative sense of place.