The shade of the street-level panels had been in comparison with tomato soup. Symbolism extends to the choice of materials – toned down red, white, and blue glass panels arranged in bands that look more like salmon, silver, and baby blue. Most controversially, large expanses of glazing resulted in overheating in summer and cold drafts in winter. James R. Thompson Center, Chicago: See 59 reviews, articles, and 56 photos of James R. Thompson Center, ranked No.241 on Tripadvisor among 732 attractions in Chicago. Watch 'Starship Chicago' directed by Nathan Eddy. Reappraising Chicago’s Most Endangered Building: The James R. Thompson Center Save this picture! Designed by world renowned architect Helmut Jahn, the award-winning marble, glass and steel structure surrounds one of the largest enclosed spaces in the world. Although these polemics appear to come from different … Harkening back to the grand domes of earlier government structures, such as the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, the southeast … [1] … It suffers from a much more lethal ailment — treating it like a normal … The Thompson Center: A Building Facing Demolition Threat in Chicago, © All rights reserved. The James R. Thompson Center is located at 100 W Randolph Street and houses offices of the Government of Illinois. To correct these issues cooling towers had to be brought in. Hearkening back to the grand domes of earlier government structures, such as the state capitol in Springfield, the southeast profile of the Thompson Center is a slice of a hollow sphere, clad in curved blue glass and salmon-colored steel. Shortly thereafter, Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin called for the demolition of McCormick Place’s Lakeside Center, designed by Gene Summers of C.F. That is exactly what the original architect suggested in his speculative 2015 proposal – giving the building a new life through adaptive reuse and envisioning a new 110-story tower to anchor the southwest corner. The debate surrounding the James R. Thompson Center is going strong on architecture critic Lee Bey’s Vocolo Blog. Read some of the discussion going on there and share your thoughts on the building here (below in the comments section)! It is invigorated by moving escalators and glass-enclosed elevators, constantly shifting sunlight and shadows, and streams of people that come here for all sorts of reasons – meeting with bureaucrats, taking Chicago Transit Authority trains, grabbing fast food at the basement-level cafeteria, and simply to pause and enjoy the exhilarating energy of the place itself. Overall, the Center’s appearance is very impressive and perfectly civically minded, but when it first opened the main attention in the press was given to its performance, not the strongest side of many examples of high architecture. He also serves as an Associate Dean in the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts and is the co-founder of the practice Design With Company. The sculpture at the front entrance by French artist Jean Dubuffet sets the tone for this building that houses a tremendous art collection. The James R. Thompson Center (JRTC), originally the State of Illinois Center, is located at 100 W. Randolph Street in the Loop district of Chicago and houses offices of the Illinois state government.The building serves as a secondary capitol for the State of Illinois in the most populated city and county of the state. What if we considered it to be a piece of urban infrastructure or public plaza instead? Naturally, Chicago, the architectural capital of the world, has one too. All images are © each office/photographer mentioned. Consolidating Government. Here it is –James R. Thompson Center, named so in honor of four-term Illinois Republican Governor (1977-91) who was brave enough to get it built in 1985. In addition to the Atrium Mall, this astounding building houses more than 50 government agencies, boards and commissions. 10 Iconic Chicago Buildings / James R. Thompson Center. April 30, 2021 Diego Hernández Architecture, Architecture Article, Architecture News, Home design ideas, Interior Design 0 Dormitories Built by Louis Kahn, Part of the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad, Set to be Demolished. In this video, Stewart explains why the Thompson Center is definitely not a normal building and offers alternative ways to evaluate it. London –Lloyd’s of London. James R. Thompson Center: Illinois State government offices, 1985 James R. Thompson Center Chicago Daily News Building: Holabird & Root, architects, 1929, said to be the first building that “embraced the river” Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users. We are currently in Beta version and updating this search on a regular basis. Naturally, Chicago, the architectural capital of the world, has one too. But according to its creator, Chicago’s most charismatic living architect, German-born Helmut Jahn, it is a symbolic structure, a contemporary take on the traditional state capitol, a domed government building. There are trees, benches, childlike colossal sculpture Monument with Standing Beast (fiberglass, 1984) by Jean Dubuffet, and multiple options for shortcuts and rare vantage points in the heart of the dense metropolis. The years-in-the-making move to offload the 3-acre James R. Thompson Center at 100 West Randolph Street in downtown Chicago is finally moving ahead. There are infamous photographs of the office workers taking refuge under beach umbrellas on hot summer days, while in winter ice would form on the interior wall panels. The building also has over 150 of the state's 600 works collected under the Percent for Artprogram. The whole building is hollowed out to celebrate the centrality and transparency of government. James R. Thompson Center, Chicago: See 59 reviews, articles, and 56 photos of James R. Thompson Center, ranked No.241 on Tripadvisor among 731 attractions in Chicago. ArchDaily 2008-2021. Review of Thompson Center in Chicago: the building facing demolition threat. The Thrill of Big: A Review of Building Tall at the Chicago Architecture Center The Chicago Architecture Center brings some of the world’s most … James R Thompson Center . Jahn was the architect of numerous buildings in his adopted city of Chicago, most notably the James R Thompson Center in the city's downtown and United Airlines Terminal One at O'Hare airport. 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