Archinect - News 2024-12-23T10:59:14-05:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/150453226/google-updates-thompson-center-renderings-before-first-full-year-of-construction Google updates Thompson Center renderings before first full year of construction Josh Niland 2024-11-06T17:56:00-05:00 >2024-12-04T00:21:56-05:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/a5/a56d04ff04c901dab6282c3f6a92d86f.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>The renovation of <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/550403/helmut-jahn" target="_blank">Helmut Jahn</a>&rsquo;s fought-over<a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/662293/thompson-center" target="_blank">&nbsp;Thompson Center</a> building in Chicago for <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/52478217/google-inc" target="_blank">Google</a> has provided an updated pair of renderings for the $280 million project. The update follows <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150407950/google-unveils-updated-renderings-for-thompson-center-rejuvenation" target="_blank">last December&rsquo;s release</a> of the initial images for the reimagining. Google is pledging&nbsp;to deliver a LEED Platinum-certified project in line with the late architect's post-modernist vision. Initial demolition work <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150426238/chicago-s-thompson-center-begins-demolition-ahead-of-280-million-google-takeover" target="_blank">began in May</a> and will advance over the next year towards completion in the year 2026.</p> <figure><figure><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/70/703759c262705ab30358f520f2f8e721.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/70/703759c262705ab30358f520f2f8e721.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=514"></a><figcaption>Image courtesy Google and Pixelflakes</figcaption></figure></figure><figure><figure><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/bd/bd81667f0a7b05950b4f223e35ed3f0f.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/bd/bd81667f0a7b05950b4f223e35ed3f0f.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=514"></a><figcaption>Image courtesy Google and Pixelflakes</figcaption></figure></figure><figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/c5/c5d41ca1f72aec1943e85e4bda78cd64.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/c5/c5d41ca1f72aec1943e85e4bda78cd64.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Image courtesy Google and Pixelflakes</figcaption></figure> https://archinect.com/news/article/150452943/one-of-helmut-jahn-s-final-designs-distinguishes-itself-on-the-chicago-skyline One of Helmut Jahn's final designs distinguishes itself on the Chicago skyline Josh Niland 2024-11-05T12:05:00-05:00 >2024-11-05T13:33:13-05:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/01/017b798a172cbc42f8f1ed5f76dec9df.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Critics are coming out in favor of a distinctive new residential apartment tower from <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/69381519/jahn" target="_blank">Jahn</a>&nbsp;after the building opened at the south end of Michigan Avenue in Chicago in June. The 1000M project is a new high-rise accommodation meant to anchor the historic thoroughfare with 73 total stories and 738 units.&nbsp;</p> <figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/a3/a3d1f2243b0e64535d6697e6c9a92c31.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/a3/a3d1f2243b0e64535d6697e6c9a92c31.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Image credit: Tom Rossiter</figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/550403/helmut-jahn" target="_blank">Helmut Jahn</a> is credited with leading its revised design from 2015 until his <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150263145/renowned-architect-helmut-jahn-dies-at-81-from-cycling-accident" target="_blank">death in 2021</a>, joined by a team that included Philip Castillo, Lynda Dossey, Peter Hayes, and Lucie Rigaldies.&nbsp;<br></p> <figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/9a/9af595d6c618d59afe68d16dafa54ba3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/9a/9af595d6c618d59afe68d16dafa54ba3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Image credit: Tom Rossiter</figcaption></figure><p>Residents enjoy access to its ground-floor lobbies from both the street level and a stately porte-cochere located on the western axis. The manipulation of air rights for this project allowed the design's floor plates to gradually expand at the northeast or southeast corners from a rectangular base into a more softened parallelogram form.&nbsp;<br></p> <figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/e2/e248ad449a160074be63d2f2cd5c5ca9.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/e2/e248ad449a160074be63d2f2cd5c5ca9.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Image credit: Tom Rossiter</figcaption></figure><p>A seven-level parking structure with 325 spaces services the building, which is draped...</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/150426238/chicago-s-thompson-center-begins-demolition-ahead-of-280-million-google-takeover Chicago's Thompson Center begins demolition ahead of $280 million Google takeover Josh Niland 2024-05-03T17:12:00-04:00 >2024-05-06T13:56:13-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/4f/4f359d27de82a23bfd6e49dabbcf89f7.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p><a href="https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/thompson-center-chicago-demolition-google/3427774/" target="_blank">NBC Chicago</a> is reporting on the start of planned demolition work for the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/662293/thompson-center" target="_blank">Thompson Center</a> in advance of a $280 million makeover that will turn the famed <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/550403/helmut-jahn" target="_blank">Helmut Jahn</a>-designed building into a new office space for <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/26/google" target="_blank">Google</a> for 2026. Work will cover the exterior glass curtain facade and interior atrium. The 39-year-old former state office building had become a $17 million-a-year liability for Governor JB Pritzker before the property was <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150318249/google-will-take-over-thompson-center-following-105-million-sale" target="_blank">offloaded</a> for $105 million in July of 2022.</p> <p>&ldquo;These types of improvements take several years to complete; we&rsquo;re excited about what this project symbolizes for the greater Chicago community and will share more about our plans in the future,&rdquo; Karen Sauder, Google's Chicago Site Lead, said in a <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150407950/google-unveils-updated-renderings-for-thompson-center-rejuvenationhttps://archinect.com/news/article/150407950/google-unveils-updated-renderings-for-thompson-center-rejuvenation" target="_blank">December update</a>.</p> <p>Jean Dubuffet's 29-foot 'Monument with Standing Beast' <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150318763/thompson-center-sculpture-will-be-relocated-following-building-s-sale" target="_blank">sculpture</a> is also being evacuated to the <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/47621784/art-institute-of-chicago" target="_blank">Art Institute of Chicago</a>.</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/150407950/google-unveils-updated-renderings-for-thompson-center-rejuvenation Google unveils updated renderings for Thompson Center rejuvenation Josh Niland 2023-12-13T17:11:00-05:00 >2024-10-25T04:07:38-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/ae/ae756b4864560afd9b51c48400de972f.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>New renderings for Google&rsquo;s $280 million redevelopment of the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/550403/helmut-jahn" target="_blank">Helmut Jahn</a>-designed <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/662293/thompson-center" target="_blank">James R. Thompson Center</a> in Chicago have been released by the company ahead of the start of construction activities early next year.</p> <p>The <a href="https://blog.google/inside-google/life-at-google/google-chicago-office-thompson-center/" target="_blank">announcement</a> was made via Google&rsquo;s The Keyword blog and appears to show improvements to the ground-level plaza area, facades, and HVAC system, minus the significant alterations to the atrium that were <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150387006/major-demolition-plans-announced-for-thompson-center-facade-and-atrium" target="_blank">first detailed</a> by <em>Chicago Sun-Times </em>columnist <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/1696494/lee-bey" target="_blank">Lee Bey</a> back in October.</p> <p>The existing colonnade and plaza at street level will be redesigned to allow for more food, beverage, and retail opportunities, along with seasonal activations for the public. <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/69381519/jahn" target="_blank">JAHN</a>, its original architect, will lead the overhaul in line with Google&rsquo;s pledge to deliver a LEED Platinum and all-electric building. The &ldquo;postmodern legacy&rdquo; of their late founder's design will reportedly also be &ldquo;honored&rdquo; by retaining its 17-story atrium space &mdash; an area that became a point of contention for preservationists ...</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/150387006/major-demolition-plans-announced-for-thompson-center-facade-and-atrium Major demolition plans announced for Thompson Center facade and atrium Josh Niland 2023-10-18T12:04:00-04:00 >2024-10-25T04:07:38-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/b0/b0010cf088fbf833af19f540b5cbf2f1.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Significant alterations to the exterior of Helmut Jahn&rsquo;s aging <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/662293/thompson-center" target="_blank">James R. Thompson Center</a> have been revealed inside of planning documents submitted for Google&rsquo;s <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150318249/google-will-take-over-thompson-center-following-105-million-sale" target="_blank">forthcoming</a> $280 million renovation of the landmark former government office building in Chicago.&nbsp;</p> <p>The building&rsquo;s glass facade and atrium will now be demolished in its entirety at a cost of $6 million, according to permitting documents issued by the city&rsquo;s Department of Buildings on October 13th. <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/1696494/lee-bey" target="_blank">Lee Bey</a> was first to <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2023/10/17/23921338/google-thompson-center-280-million-makeover-demolition-glass-facade-atrium-architecture-lee-bey" target="_blank">report the news</a> in the <em>Chicago Sun-Times </em>Tuesday when a spokesperson for the tech giant promised a formal announcement could come &ldquo;within weeks&rdquo; as the planning process moves along.&nbsp;</p> <p>Landmarks Illinois&rsquo; President and CEO Bonnie McDonald told Bey the demolition would &ldquo;add to the waste stream&rdquo; of the building&rsquo;s carbon lifecycle, though did admit the reuse plan was a &ldquo;big win&rdquo; over previous fears it would either be <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/139317745/can-helmut-jahn-s-thompson-center-be-saved" target="_blank">razed</a>&nbsp;or topped by a new <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150266745/a-new-thompson-center-s-rezoning-proposal-pushes-plans-for-a-supertall-development-even-closer" target="_blank">supertall construction</a>.</p> <p>Added McDonald: &ldquo;While we realize losing the existing ...</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/150318763/thompson-center-sculpture-will-be-relocated-following-building-s-sale Thompson Center sculpture will be relocated following building's sale Nathaniel Bahadursingh 2022-08-01T19:31:00-04:00 >2024-10-25T04:07:38-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/a0/a0965a2785703be5266643087b527fca.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>One of Chicago&rsquo;s iconic pieces of public art will be getting a new home. French artist Jean Dubuffet&rsquo;s sculpture &ldquo;Monument with Standing Beast,&rdquo; in place in front of the Thompson Center since the building opened in 1985, is moving to a different spot in the Loop.</p></em><br /><br /><p>Following last week&rsquo;s $105 million sale of the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/662293/thompson-center" target="_blank">Thompson Center</a> to <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/26/google" target="_blank">Google</a>, the famed Dubuffet&nbsp;sculpture will be relocated to a former bank building at 115 S. LaSalle Street, a space purchased by the state of Illinois&nbsp;to house office space lost with the sale. The 29-foot, 10-ton fiberglass sculpture was seen as an extension of the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/550403/helmut-jahn" target="_blank">Helmut Jahn</a>-designed building. Nicknamed &ldquo;Snoopy in a blender,&rdquo; the piece is made up of four shapes representing an animal, a tree, an architectural form, and a portal. It was inspired by Dubuffet&rsquo;s 1960 series of paintings called <em>Hourlope</em>.&nbsp;</p> <figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/2e/2ee4dff834299f68c7d5ffbbf428feb0.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/2e/2ee4dff834299f68c7d5ffbbf428feb0.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Previously on Archinect: <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150318249/google-will-take-over-thompson-center-following-105-million-sale" target="_blank">Google will take over Thompson Center following $105 million sale</a></figcaption></figure><p>&ldquo;Monument with Standing Beast&rdquo; was donated in 1984 by Ruth Horwich, an art collector and co-founder of Chicago&rsquo;s Museum of Contemporary Art, in memory of her husband, Leonard Horwich. It was unveiled outside an under-construction Thompson Center in November of that year. A date for the sculpture&rsquo;s arrival at its new home has not bee...</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/150318544/evan-jahn-on-the-thompson-center-sale-office-design-and-continuing-his-father-s-legacy Evan Jahn on the Thompson Center sale, office design, and continuing his father’s legacy Josh Niland 2022-07-30T09:00:00-04:00 >2022-08-01T14:40:00-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/a5/a51145be4da34726ad42c0e1f115f21f.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>It&rsquo;s our duty to give them our perspective, but it always ends up being a collaboration between what our ideas and knowledge are, and what their vision is. I would be doing anyone in development a disservice if we didn&rsquo;t propose and push for something that is greater than what initially is the expectation. Like many things in life, you think you can run a mile this fast, and then someone challenges you to run a little bit faster and you figure out you can. You&rsquo;re always moving the bar.</p></em><br /><br /><p>The younger Jahn, now president of the <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/69381519/jahn" target="_blank">firm</a> his late father established, spoke with <em>TRD</em> about the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150318249/google-will-take-over-thompson-center-following-105-million-sale" target="_blank">recently-announced</a> sale of Helmut Jahn's most famous work, commenting that the 37-year-old <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/662293/thompson-center" target="_blank">Thompson Center</a> would be &ldquo;enhanced to a level and expectation of a 21st-century office&rdquo; before shutting down speculation about a potential new high-rise being constructed above it. He also mentioned some of the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150305509/an-architect-s-advice-on-boosting-creativity-in-hybrid-workplaces" target="_blank">post-pandemic challenges</a> his firm and others <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150309405/architects-earn-more-from-renovations-than-new-builds-for-first-time-fueled-by-workplace-revolution" target="_blank">designing office spaces</a> are facing and said that working with a well-versed client like Google presents, for him, a career-defining prospect.</p> <p>&ldquo;They&rsquo;re beyond a bellwether. They&rsquo;re really almost setting a new precedent in how they&rsquo;re defining the workplace, with their projects in multiple areas,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&ldquo;They&rsquo;re really trying to reconceptualize this 21st-century hybrid work environment.&rdquo;</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/150318249/google-will-take-over-thompson-center-following-105-million-sale Google will take over Thompson Center following $105 million sale Nathaniel Bahadursingh 2022-07-27T14:58:00-04:00 >2024-10-25T04:07:38-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/33/337dfb2a730a61edb8b953dda988b5ad.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>The sale of the iconic Thompson Center in downtown Chicago is being finalized with Google planning to occupy office space following extensive renovations by the new owner. Google will take over the entire building once the new owners, JRTC Holdings, renovate the Thompson Center to the tech giant's specifications.</p></em><br /><br /><p>With its future sorted, the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/550403/helmut-jahn" target="_blank">Helmut Jahn</a>-designed building is here to stay. A sale agreement with JRTC Holdings was finalized in March; however, today&rsquo;s announcement includes revisions to the agreement and the addition of <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/26/google" target="_blank">Google</a> as the primary tenant.&nbsp;</p> <p>Originally, <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/339862/illinois" target="_blank">Illinois</a> was set to receive an initial payment of $70 million for the property and would retain 425,000 square feet of the office space. Now, the entire space will be purchased for $105 million. The state will use $75 million of this total to purchase a site at 115 S. LaSalle Street where approximately 1,800 state workers from the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/662293/thompson-center" target="_blank">Thompson Center</a> will move.&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/77/7746bead676bc8b88d6253d4fd18b781.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/77/7746bead676bc8b88d6253d4fd18b781.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=514"></a></p> <figcaption>Previously on Archinect: <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150315433/thompson-center-may-find-new-life-as-google-s-chicago-office" target="_blank">Thompson Center may find new life as Google's Chicago office</a></figcaption><p>JRTC Holdings will now renovate the building, and once complete, Google will purchase the site. The renovations will reportedly respect the original design of the building, with changes aiming to make the structure more energy-efficient, environmentally sustainable, and inclusive. Goog...</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/150315433/thompson-center-may-find-new-life-as-google-s-chicago-office Thompson Center may find new life as Google's Chicago office Alexander Walter 2022-07-04T09:00:00-04:00 >2022-07-05T15:16:05-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/2f/2ff370e3064ed545243a93b4077ddc9a.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>Google is negotiating to buy the spaceship-like James R. Thompson Center in Chicago in a deal that could provide a much-needed boost to the city&rsquo;s Loop business district. The Mountain View, California-based tech giant is seeking to buy the Helmut Jahn-designed building at 100 W. Randolph St., where it plans to expand its Chicago offices into a large portion of the 17-story building&rsquo;s soon-to-be-renovated office space, according to people familiar with the deal.</p></em><br /><br /><p>The future for Chicago's <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/662293/thompson-center" target="_blank">James R. Thompson Center</a>, designed by the late <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/550403/helmut-jahn" target="_blank">Helmut Jahn</a>, may be looking a bit brighter after the National Trust for Historic Preservation added the postmodern gem to its annual &ldquo;America&rsquo;s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places&rdquo; list <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150139017/postmodern-building-named-to-11-most-endangered-list-for-the-first-time" target="_blank">in 2019</a>. <br></p> <p>Last year, the Chicago Architecture Center and Chicago Architectural Club jointly hosted a <a href="https://archinect.com/news/bustler/8410/thompson-center-design-ideas-competition-three-winners-of-the-2021-chicago-prize-announced" target="_blank">design ideas competition</a> to promote adaptive-reuse scenarios for the center and save the landmark building from the wrecking ball.<br></p> https://archinect.com/news/article/150279701/an-llc-attached-to-helmut-jahn-s-erstwhile-firm-has-now-filed-for-bankruptcy An LLC attached to Helmut Jahn's erstwhile firm has now filed for bankruptcy Josh Niland 2021-09-01T10:54:00-04:00 >2021-09-01T13:34:52-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/b7/b7b8460ff23e1fab5d797d2dc8bf0e5e.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Chicago Business is <a href="https://www.chicagobusiness.com/commercial-real-estate/helmut-jahn-owned-firm-files-chapter-7-bankruptcy-protection" target="_blank">reporting</a> that an LLC related to the firm founded by <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150263145/renowned-architect-helmut-jahn-dies-at-81-from-cycling-accident" target="_blank">recently deceased</a> architect <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/69381519/jahn" target="_blank">Helmut Jahn</a> is filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in an unfurling landlord-tenant dispute that began taking shape during the pandemic.</p> <p>Jahn LLC reported gross revenues under $13,000 last year and has reported liabilities totaling $11 million compared to a little over $600,000 in available assets. The firm reported a total of $1 million in revenue between 2019 and 2020 comparatively.</p> <p>Jahn was the sole proprietor of the LLC (which is separate from <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/69381519/jahn" target="_blank">Jahn Architecture, Inc.</a>), which has seen its prospects decimated by the architect&rsquo;s loss this spring. The firm stands to bring in significant fees from its forthcoming 1,000m supertall development (to which the LLC is registered as the copyright holder), which will now fall subject to potential judgment creditors, particularly its landlord at 353 Clark St. DUS, depending on the court&rsquo;s decision.</p> <p>Crain&rsquo;s has also reported that DUS was being sued ...</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/150266745/a-new-thompson-center-s-rezoning-proposal-pushes-plans-for-a-supertall-development-even-closer A new Thompson Center's rezoning proposal pushes plans for a supertall development even closer Josh Niland 2021-06-07T15:07:00-04:00 >2021-06-08T15:05:59-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/23/23109dffefa6f5d9941b10edacb3b11e.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>A path forward in Illinois&rsquo; plans for the redevelopment of the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/662293/thompson-center" target="_blank">Thompson Center</a> has been made a little clearer in Chicago this week, a month after the accidental death of architect <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150011159/helmut-jahn-on-his-practice-his-career-and-his-most-recent-chicago-project-1000m" target="_blank">Helmut Jahn</a> in a tragic <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150263145/renowned-architect-helmut-jahn-dies-at-81-from-cycling-accident" target="_blank">bicycling accident</a> at the age of 83.</p> <p>A City Council committee <a href="https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2021/05/25/city-council-committee-backs-zoning-change-for-thompson-center-to-assist-states-efforts-to-sell-building/" target="_blank">approved</a> a proposal from Alderman Brendan Reilly to <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/1240927/upzoning" target="_blank">upzone</a> the troubled building this past Tuesday, doubling the amount of space that can be built on the site and fueling further speculation that the iconic Randolph St. location could be the site of Chicago&rsquo;s next <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/ct-architecture-notes-kamin-met-0117-20170120-column.html" target="_blank">supertall tower</a> should the measure be approved in a vote that could come as soon as Wednesday.</p> <p>The change came at the <a href="https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2021/05/03/thompson-center-sale-request-for-bidders-governor-jb-pritzker-request-for-proposals/" target="_blank">request</a> of Governor J.B. Pritzker, who has been an outspoken proponent of the state&rsquo;s push to sell the 36-year-old signature building to private developers in an effort to get off the hook for the nearly $17 million in annual costs it takes to maintain the aging property as it currently stands.</p> <p>Preservationists now face an all-out fight to save J...</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/150263145/renowned-architect-helmut-jahn-dies-at-81-from-cycling-accident Renowned architect Helmut Jahn dies at 81 from cycling accident Nathaniel Bahadursingh 2021-05-10T16:14:00-04:00 >2024-10-25T04:07:38-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/eb/eb68cc85b5cf207e2289ac67f48e567b.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Helmut Jahn, the highly respected German-American architect, was tragically killed on Saturday from a vehicular collision while riding his bicycle in&nbsp;the Chicago suburb of Campton Hills.</p> <p>Born in Germany, near Nuremberg, in 1940, Jahn arrived in Chicago in 1966 to study under Ludwig Mies van der Rohe at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT). A year later, he joined architecture firm CF Murphy Associates and worked on several high-profile projects, including the McCormick Place in Chicago and the J Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, DC. He later took full ownership of the firm, renaming it Murphy/Jahn and then eventually <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/69381519/jahn" target="_blank">JAHN</a> in 2012.&nbsp;</p> <p>Jahn&rsquo;s work is best defined by his postmodern steel and glass structures that combined historical and contextual references with high-tech engineering solutions, both paying homage to and departing from the modernism of Mies. It was in the late 1970s and &lsquo;80s that Jahn made his mark, and, in Chicago, his work propelled him as one America&rsquo;s most p...</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/150139017/postmodern-building-named-to-11-most-endangered-list-for-the-first-time Postmodern building named to "11 most endangered" list for the first time Antonio Pacheco 2019-05-30T13:59:00-04:00 >2024-10-25T04:07:38-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/3a/3a49aa1ff057160b4daf5dfcfad9ff00.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>In a sign of the rising concern over the future of <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/649827/postmodernism" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">postmodern</a> architecture in the American preservation community, the National Trust for <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/128470/historic-preservation/15" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Historic Preservation</a> has named the 34-year-old <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150011159/helmut-jahn-on-his-practice-his-career-and-his-most-recent-chicago-project-1000m" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Helmut Jahn</a>-designed James R. Thompson Center in <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/4611/chicago" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chicago</a> to its annual &ldquo;America&rsquo;s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places&rdquo; list.</p> <p>In making the cut, the 17-story Illinois state government building becomes the first work of postmodern architecture named to the influential list. </p> <figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/25/251189779f95f18483309c713a50f5f5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=1028" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/25/251189779f95f18483309c713a50f5f5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=514" alt="Thompson Center" title="Thompson Center"></a></p><figcaption>Exterior view of the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago, Photo courtesy Landmarks Illinois</figcaption></figure><p>The orange and blue-tinted glass and steel building opened in 1985 as a rebuke to a then-dominant modernist architecture ideology that called for austere and aseptic expanses of curtain walled glass for office buildings. Designed with sloped exterior glazing and a base marked by a perimeter arcade accented with alternating colored panels, the building presents a degree of consideration for the public that challenged the conventional notions of...</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/150122198/bill-approving-sale-and-potential-redevelopment-of-the-controversial-thompson-center-moves-forward Bill approving sale and potential redevelopment of the controversial Thompson Center moves forward Mackenzie Goldberg 2019-02-15T16:06:00-05:00 >2019-02-15T16:06:10-05:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/8b/8b4157fa9ab9a74b5ba9b90a28fba3bd.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Illinois governor, J.B. Pritzker, plans on signing a state bill that would authorize the sale of the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/662293/thompson-center" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">James R. Thompson Center</a>, paving the way for its potential redevelopment.&nbsp;</p> <p>The postmodern building&nbsp;designed by <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/69381519/jahn" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Helmut Jahn</a> has housed offices of the Illinois state government since opening in 1985. Due to its polarizing design and its notoriously hard to heat and cool nature, state lawmakers have been pushing to sell the state-owned property, which could bring in a potential&nbsp;$300 million.&nbsp;</p> <p>First passed in 2017, SB 866&mdash;which would move offices across the street into the state-owned Michael A. Bilandic building&mdash;has been stuck in legislative limbo for the past two years. Under Prtizker's new governorship, the state has regained interest in the possibility of a sale, from which funds could be used to address pension liabilities and other unpaid bills.</p> <p>However, the threat of endangering what preservationists see as a unique representation of transparent government and Chicago's architectu...</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/150037872/starship-chicago-documentary-tracks-preservation-battle-of-thompson-center “Starship Chicago” documentary tracks preservation battle of Thompson Center Hope Daley 2017-11-14T15:07:00-05:00 >2018-01-30T06:16:04-05:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/vl/vl7v7kok4j2purlc.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p><a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/139317745/can-helmut-jahn-s-thompson-center-be-saved" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Can Helmut Jahn's Thompson Center be saved?</a> A newly released short documentary, <em>Starship Chicago</em>, delves into the struggle and controversy around <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/128470/historic-preservation" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">preserving</a> the state of Illinois building. Some see the building as a unique representation of transparent government and Chicago's architectural spirit, while others see a rundown waste of space.&nbsp;</p> <p>"Chicago preservationists, along with the building&rsquo;s original champion, Governor James R. Thompson, are gearing up for a major battle to save the city&rsquo;s most provocative architectural statement" tells the director and producer Nathan Eddy. The documentary interviews the architect himself, <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/69381519/jahn" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Helmut Jahn</a>, the governor whose name is on the building, James. R. Thompson, along with <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/14990969/tigerman-mccurry-architects" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stanley Tigerman</a> and other Chicago architects, critics, and historians.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <p>Watch&nbsp;<em>Starship Chicago&nbsp;</em>below.&nbsp;</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/149989016/will-the-willis-tower-lose-its-claim-to-being-the-tallest-building-in-chicago Will the Willis Tower lose its claim to being the tallest building in Chicago? Nicholas Korody 2017-01-27T17:51:00-05:00 >2018-01-30T06:16:04-05:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/gp/gpq3rs3sppseio03.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>The Willis Tower may soon have to say goodbye to its title as the tallest building in the Windy City. Two competing designs for a redevelopment of the Helmut Jahn-designed James R. Thompson center stretch high above the tower. One, by Jahn himself, would preserve the original, curving structure while adding a 1,340-foot hotel and residential skyscraper besides it. Another, by Chicago architects Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill, would demolish the Jahn building and build a 1,700-foot mixed-use tower. Apparently, Governor Bruce Rauner is in favor of demolishing the older building.</p><p>According to <em><a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-architecture-notes-kamin-met-0117-20170120-column.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the Chicago Tribune</a></em>, it&rsquo;s not clear if any of these plans will actually be realized. Budgetary disputes between Dems and Republicans in the state government may preclude any action.</p><p><img title="" alt="" src="http://cdn.archinect.net/images/650x/gt/gtyvxvrhvo7sox24.jpg"></p> https://archinect.com/news/article/139317745/can-helmut-jahn-s-thompson-center-be-saved Can Helmut Jahn's Thompson Center be saved? Alexander Walter 2015-10-19T13:56:00-04:00 >2015-10-24T16:14:33-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/0u/0uthp3a06c2taebt.JPG?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>I confess that I feel the sort of ambivalence toward the James R. Thompson Center as I did toward Prentice Women's Hospital: I do understand why people want to raze it, I don't find it pretty, I understand the functional problems. But all the same, I believe the Thompson Center should be saved. [...] Chicago remains full of examples of money and vision coming together to create wonderful buildings.</p></em><br /><br /><p>Related Chicago preservation stories:</p><ul><li><a href="http://archinect.com/news/article/131580214/chicago-s-iconic-marina-city-could-be-headed-for-landmark-status" target="_blank">Chicago's iconic Marina City could be headed for landmark status</a></li><li><a href="http://archinect.com/news/article/84213969/prentice-hospital-could-become-modern-architecture-s-penn-station-moment" target="_blank">Prentice Hospital Could Become Modern Architecture&rsquo;s &lsquo;Penn Station Moment&rsquo;</a></li></ul> https://archinect.com/news/article/126889741/berlin-heals-war-scars-with-ambitious-architecture Berlin heals war scars with ambitious architecture Alexander Walter 2015-05-07T16:00:00-04:00 >2018-01-30T06:16:04-05:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/a5/a55c94b00079b7da9f58c0fdf854898b?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>Seventy years after the end of the war, Berlin is finally filling the last gaps left by Allied bombs, which destroyed more than two-thirds of the buildings in the city center. Architects say the construction boom offers Berlin a chance to make up for decades of bad planning and mediocre architecture. &ldquo;This is a new time in Berlin,&rdquo; says Libeskind [...]. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s one of the great cities of the world, and we expect it to compete. We don&rsquo;t expect it to be some backwater.&rdquo;</p></em><br /><br /><p>Previously:</p><ul><li><a href="http://archinect.com/news/article/96568028/oma-wins-axel-springer-berlin-hq-competition" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">OMA wins Axel Springer Berlin HQ competition</a></li><li><a href="http://archinect.com/news/article/125819570/berlin-s-alexanderplatz-high-rise-developments-continue-to-take-shape" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Berlin's Alexanderplatz high-rise developments continue to take shape</a></li><li><a href="http://archinect.com/news/article/114961190/london-s-architecture-lacks-berlin-s-sense-of-culture-says-chipperfield" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">London&rsquo;s architecture lacks Berlin&rsquo;s sense of culture, says Chipperfield</a></li><li><a href="http://archinect.com/news/article/113961523/berlin-after-the-wall-a-microcosm-of-the-world-s-chaotic-change" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Berlin After the Wall: A Microcosm of the World&rsquo;s Chaotic Change</a></li></ul> https://archinect.com/news/article/118886896/helmut-jahn-chats-about-his-latest-nyc-tower-50-west Helmut Jahn chats about his latest NYC tower, 50 West Alexander Walter 2015-01-21T13:24:00-05:00 >2015-01-21T13:24:41-05:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/lj/ljau6sk63qa8yon2.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>The idea is always that a building like this in a particular light merges with the sky. The building is on a very small site, and has a very small footprint. There was a requirement from a planning point of view, which we fully supported and were actually happy about, that we had to provide a plaza on the ground floor. And that&rsquo;s actually why the building toward the base, it pulls in its belly and it slopes so that the urban space is adequate and a required size.</p></em><br /><br /><!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"> <html><head><meta></head></html>