The new images follow on from a debate opened a few months ago about the James R. Thompson Center building by Helmut Janh (also known as the Illinois State Building) a proposal was presented at the end of January that retained much of the post-modern Thompson Center, but also gave a growth alternative, adding a new tower, which would offset the maintenance costs of the aging 16-story structure.
The Thompson Center is locally significant as Chicago’s best example of grand-scaled, Postmodern architecture.
At the time of LI’s 2017 listing, the Illinois General Assembly was planning legislation for an accelerated sale of the building. While Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the bill based on disagreement with the sale terms, it remains a goal of his administration to sell the building.
At the time of LI’s 2017 listing, the Illinois General Assembly was planning legislation for an accelerated sale of the building. While Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the bill based on disagreement with the sale terms, it remains a goal of his administration to sell the building.
Summary of design and programming changes to Thompson Center
A reimagining of public space will need to take place at the street level in order to reconnect the original building and new tower with the inhabitants of the city and usher them in to explore the atrium’s energetic atmosphere. Our renderings include the following changes to the existing structure:
- Two-story entrance bays at the plaza would be removed to create open connections between the outside and the voluminous atrium to become a truly public space.
- The ground floor and upper office floors would be enclosed to separate private office and retail spaces from the public, open-air atrium.
- The lower-level food hall could be enclosed or fitted with retractable glass partitions.
- Retail space would be expanded and café dining areas and seasonal food markets could be accommodated in the plaza and open atrium.
- Additional seating, landscaping and public art would be encouraged in the open atrium.
- The current elevator tower to upper office floors would be enclosed and secured with a new office lobby, while the hotel and residential lobbies would be located within the new tower.
- The southwest corner is the best location for a new tower with minimal impact to the building’s significant atrium space.
- A new tower, with a footprint of approximately 13,000 square feet, is developed on the southwest corner with hotel uses on the lower floors and residential on the upper floors.
- Thompson Center’s second level would connect to the tower’s second floor hotel lobby. Hotel meeting facilities would be incorporated into levels 3 and 4 of the Thompson Center.
- The remainder of the existing Thompson Center floors would be utilized as office and tech space.
![SOM: Engineering x [Art + Architecture]. Image courtesy SOM](/sites/default/files/styles/mopis_home_news_category_slider_desktop/public/lead-images/metalocus_som_expo_bienal_chicago_2017_01.webp?h=c4ed616d&itok=72WeB_I_ "SOM: Engineering x [Art + Architecture]. Image courtesy SOM")
