CHICAGO 3.0
For the 2021 Chicago Prize, the Chicago Architectural Club and the Chicago Architecture Center are calling for new, creative visions for the State of Illinois Center to give it new life while preserving its architecture and public character. The late architect Helmut Jahn (1940-2021) designed the building which opened in 1985.
From the Competition Brief:
The Thompson Center’s design was progressive for its time. Dwelling in the vertical shadows of modern icons like Mies van der Rohe’s Daley Center, Helmut Jahn’s mid- rise Thompson Center pierced the trends of neighboring International Style and Neoclassical buildings with a revolutionary concept for a civic building, one that represents a promising future of “transparency and accessibility”. Bringing together the various services of government offices in one building, the Thompson Center is also a major transit hub and a place for gathering to enjoy art, shop, and dine. Jahn brings open space indoors with the remarkable glazed 17-story grand atrium. Known as a “people’s center” or a “people’s palace”, the building was a symbol of government accessibility, transparency, and commitment to serving the people. This was a bold departure from how government buildings used to interface with the public.
This is a speculative ideas competition for preserving J.R. Thompson Center through architectural interventions that repurpose the building through rehabilitation. There is not a set program for this competition; your definition of the program is part of the design problem. Submissions will be assessed on the identification of the issues and the design proposal’s efficacy in addressing these issues.
The Proposal
Repurpose the building into an urban farm. Chicago will be at the forefront of sustainable design. As the city rebuilt itself after the Great Fire, Chicago will be building a new city for the next century, Chicago 3.0.
The sloped glazing of Jahn’s iconic design will be retrofitted with operable windows. The cultural functions will remain. Chicago will feed itself. New jobs will be provided. The interior of the building shall be stripped down to its essentials to support this repurpose. Existing services and building systems shall be adapted for the new use.
urbs in horto
Section through Thompson Center repurposed as an urban farm.
