In a still almost empty Chicago, when compared with its actual situation, it was planned to build a new public library, with a budget of $140 million, which should be not just a place for books, but it also had to be Chicago.
The documentary explores the competition that took place between five teams led by Hammond, Beeby y Babka, Helmut Jahn, Arthur Erickson, Skidmore-Owings-Merrill, y Dirk Lohan, each with a very different approach, which for a few months was the main talk of the city. In the final stage the competition was reduced to two teams, the Helmut Jahn's and Hammond, Beeby and Babka's, the contest was finally decided on the proposal of Hammond, Beeby and Babka, today HBRA Architects, characterized as safe, noble and traditional although it was said that it looked too much like a library.
Today you can see the models submitted to the competition at the Harold Washington Library.
