See Union Station’s massive skylight restoration in time-lapse video

In December, Chicago’s Union Station completed a $22 million restoration of the 18,000-square-foot skylight capping the structure’s iconic Great Hall. Though most of construction took place out of the public eye behind a suspended a work deck and plastic tarps, a new time-lapse video from the team at EarthCam provides a unique, insider's look at the massive undertaking.

The 4K high-def clip not only shows the transformation from the perspective of the 37 million rail passengers that pass through the station each year, but overhead angles showcasing the construction of a new high-performance skylight above the historic, 2,052-pane original.

Designed by architecture firm Goettsch Partners and completed by contractor Berglund Construction, the project shines 50 percent more natural light on the Great Hall below and—hopefully—puts an end to decades of pesky water leaks.

The Amtrak-funded revamp also addressed plaster damage, added modern lighting, and repaired interior cornice ornamentation including a pair of gold painted sculptures by artist Henry Hering.

• New skylight illuminates Union Station’s masterfully restored Great Hall [Curbed Chicago]
• Work begins on massive Union Station skylight restoration [Curbed Chicago]