James R. Thompson Center

Don't miss one of the final opportunities to view the iconic James R. Thompson Center in its original state before undergoing an ambitious renovation into modern offices for Google. Designed by famed German-American architect Helmut Jahn, the 1.2 million square-foot Thompson Center opened in 1985 to great fanfare and a mixed critical reception. It came to be be embraced by many Chicagoans as a generous civic space and landmark of Postmodern architecture, incorporating elements from the past along with a vision of the future. Jahn imagined the building as a reinterpretation of the 1889 Illinois State Capitol building's dome, with a shape-shifting facade, grided blue-tinted glass and salmon-colored steel. Circulating upward through a dizzying 17-story atrium, open-plan offices on each floor were designed to carry the message of a transparent and accessible government. Be sure to see Jean Debuffet’s sculpture “Monument With Standing Beast” on the outdoor plaza before it is relocated to nearby 115 S. LaSalle Street. Additional public art works, including John Henry’s sculpture “Bridgeport” and Richard Hunt’s “Illinois River Landscape,” are on display inside the building. In August 2022, developer Prime/Capri Investments Group acquired the building which will reopen as Google’s new home in the Loop in 2026.

Murphy/Jahn, 1985