Might we humbly suggest you take a special pedestrian trip down Randolph Street, position yourself on the north side of that Loop thoroughfare, stop when you reach 100 West and then drink in the post-modern vista of the James R. Thompson Center, as designed by the late Helmut Jahn?
That might seem like a strange idea since the Thompson Center has been there since 1985. But here’s the thing. As part of the $280 million renovation of the building by Google, the old glass panels in the building have been removed in preparation for a new glass facade behind which some 2,000 Google employees are expected to toil at what will be the company’s main Chicago office. As a result, you can see right into the massive building, which features a 17-story atrium and occupies an entire block.
It’s enough to stop anyone in their tracks. Many people’s opinion of this building, which opened as the State of Illinois Center on the site of the old Sherman House Hotel, were informed by the glass. Now that it all has been removed, you can much better see and appreciate how Jahn put into practice his vision of an amazing building that bespoke of open and transparent government, even if architecture was far ahead of actual practice in Illinois.
It’s a breathtaking sight in our view. And it won’t be available for long.
We have high hopes for Google’s impact on the Loop, although we’ve been cautioned by some smart folks that Google loves a lot of cities and that expectations of how much it will contribute here should not become overblown. Nonetheless, we’re fascinated not just to see what this hugely powerful company, working here with the redevelopers Prime/Capri Interests, does with this iconic building. We also are bullish on the economic and human impact of 2,000 employees in a part of Chicago’s Loop that still needs a lot more life.
For now, though, it is as if you see right into a great Chicago architect’s brain. Don’t miss it before it closes up again.
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