CHICAGO | Obama Presidential Library

[r18tdi]

A colleague of mine claims the stone they insisted on using is very likely to "rust" over time, so the look may continue to evolve even after completion (hopefully for the better?)

[Busy Bee]

I'm curious what exactly the environmental reaction would be that would support this claim the stone will "patina" over time (by insinuation in a positive way). We're not burning coal or belching carbon out of transportation in the volume it takes to darken porous limestone like in decades past. So what is it? Sunlight? Humid air? Do they mean "rust" literally, like there's iron deposits in the stone that will oxidize and streak creating a warm cor-ten look? Seems like a bogus claim to me.

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by r18tdi

A colleague of mine claims the stone they insisted on using is very likely to "rust" over time, so the look may continue to evolve even after completion (hopefully for the better?)

https://www.quarrastone.com/projects/obama-presidential-center/

This is the Company that was selected to do the exterior granite cladding. Some of the images show the variety of different granite color options; some of which are closer to the original beige color of the renderings, and some that look like what has actually been installed. There is definitely a color shift from warmer to grayish blue-tinged with more marbling (even though this is not marble).
And while granite can patina over time, it varies considerably between the specific type, porosity and finish. I don’t think what has been selected and installed can or will patina that significantly to alter the overall appearance.

[cloudbod]

^ Whoa, it's cool to see all the stone samples laid out! What a fun couple of days it must've been, just checkin out granite slabs up close. I like how they got folks on a scissor-lift to see the samples from different angles haha

Granite can rust because of the iron in it-- but I'd imagine the Quarra folks thought it through and either liked the patina or found a way to prevent it. The website says it'll have a "100-year service life" which is interesting

[ardecila]

Supposedly Obama was personally involved in the stone selection.

I assume it was important to him that the stone be domestic (not from Israel, China or Brazil) and they selected granite to avoid the maintenance challenges of marble or limestone. It also sounds like Obama wanted a "marble look" with prominent veining. Unfortunately, there is a limited color range of US granites. As far as I know, the warm honey tones shown in the original sketches are not commercially available without using a different kind of stone or importing from overseas.

[cloudbod]

Tbh I'm just glad to see a stone-clad building go up in Chi. When was the last time we had a tower clad entirely in stone? The Franklin Center? The first few floors of One Bennett Park are nice but they don't count lol

Also I'm so pumped for the Obama center's free observation deck-- Anybody know when it's scheduled to open?

[Via Chicago]

Originally Posted by sentinel

Tbh, my personal preference was for the lighter/beige-ier toned stone cladding from the renderings. This reads dark and somewhat more ominous, so not really a fan anymore. I’ll pass judgement when it’s finally complete and open, but whatever, again, just personal preference.

yeah ive said this before, but its just crazy to me how different this looks compared to the original rendering

feel like 3rd from the right is closer...and would have played with the sandy lakeshore location as well

[Halsted & Villagio]

I think some of you might be overreacting a tad bit to the last pics that were posted. Those pics were taken right after it rained. Most buildings will look darker and/or have a color change after the rain.

If you look back you will see that the building has that bright "sandy" look that many of you are looking for on sunny days. And it has a slightly more ominous look after the rain. Personally, I like the changing facade. Keeps it fresh -- you get a different look when the sun hits it on sunny days/or after rain/or in snowy conditions -- this building will hit a little bit differently each time. That will also make for some amazing photography shots -- and this forum (particularly the Chicago forum) has some of the best amateur and pro photographers in the business.... they will likely have a field day with this one.

[Busy Bee]

The middle five are all very tan suit.

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Halsted & Villagio

I think some of you might be overreacting a tad bit to the last pics that were posted. Those pics were taken right after it rained. Most buildings will look darker and/or have a color change after the rain.

If you look back you will see that the building has that bright "sandy" look that many of you are looking for on sunny days. And it has a slightly more ominous look after the rain. Personally, I like the changing facade. Keeps it fresh -- you get a different look when the sun hits it on sunny days/or after rain/or in snowy conditions -- this building will hit a little bit differently each time. That will also make for some amazing photography shots -- and this forum (particularly the Chicago forum) has some of the best amateur and pro photographers in the business.... they will likely have a field day with this one.

Agree to disagree, I guess. I mean, the image with the vastly different stone cladding options is just above your comment, and there is clearly a big difference between the color/finish groupings, so to speak. It has nothing to do with weather events, because even looking at different photos that forum members have posted over the past few months since cladding installation began, it’s pretty visually consistent, whether or not it’s sunny, raining, etc. And the initial point stands, that what is being installed is quite different from the renderings that were released. It’s fine that Obama changed his mind, or whatever else occurred that resulted in a different option…my initial post was about how my personal opinion was that the finished product doesn’t look as good as what was originally proposed.

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

yeah ive said this before, but its just crazy to me how different this looks compared to the original rendering

feel like 3rd from the right is closer...and would have played with the sandy lakeshore location as well

From what can be gathered from construction photos that have been posted, it appears that the far left option is what was actually installed.

It just looks.....TOO marbled; like it is distracting because of how busy it appears. Like when you see a crappy renovation job of a house on Zillow, with new polished floors that are giant-size ceramic tiles designed/printed to look like marble

[woodrow]

Originally Posted by sentinel

From what can be gathered from construction photos that have been posted, it appears that the far left option is what was actually installed.

It just looks.....TOO marbled; like it is distracting because of how busy it appears. Like when you see a crappy renovation job of a house on Zillow, with new polished floors that are giant-size ceramic tiles designed/printed to look like marble

I think it is second from left. Far left looks too blue.

I am ambivalent and am awaiting completion. I think I would have chosen fourth or fifth from the right. But then, I am not a former President who raised hundreds of millions to build my archive.

Also, my choices would have definitely been "tan suit"

[Halsted & Villagio]

Originally Posted by sentinel

Agree to disagree, I guess. I mean, the image with the vastly different stone cladding options is just above your comment, and there is clearly a big difference between the color/finish groupings, so to speak. It has nothing to do with weather events, because even looking at different photos that forum members have posted over the past few months since cladding installation began, it’s pretty visually consistent, whether or not it’s sunny, raining, etc. And the initial point stands, that what is being installed is quite different from the renderings that were released. It’s fine that Obama changed his mind, or whatever else occurred that resulted in a different option…my initial post was about how my personal opinion was that the finished product doesn’t look as good as what was originally proposed.

Very well. I guess I misunderstood the nature of your assessment. The pics in 1463 look far different than the pics in 1476... one looks sandy (63) the other quite darker (76) -- that is on a surface level. I take it you are looking at it much deeper/grains/markings/finishes and so forth. In that case, you could very well be right. I don't have a real eye for those finer details in photos. In order for me to asses it better I would need to see it in person. Unfortunately for me I have been working out of state and overseas for almost a year. Cant wait to get back home to see this one up close and personal. Also, as an aside, I just miss Chicago. The more you travel the more you realize what a jewel we have in Chicago.

I guess I would just caution everyone to wait until it is finished. This thing might look a whole lot different once it is all buttoned up.

[Via Chicago]

yeah second from left is my guess as well in terms of whats actually being used. anyway, "sandy" is the last adjective i get when i look at it

[Via Chicago]

Originally Posted by sentinel

Like when you see a crappy renovation job of a house on Zillow, with new polished floors that are giant-size ceramic tiles designed/printed to look like marble

or epoxy basement flooring



anyway is what it is.

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

or epoxy basement flooring



anyway is what it is.

Yeah, this is exactly what I was picturing in my head.

I mean, at the end of the day, I’m totally happy being 100% wrong, seeing the completed building. But construction progress pics that others have posted have me a little disappointed.

[r18tdi]

Kinda reminds me of this stunning gut rehab in Long Island:

[vexxed82]

I was out shooting the cherry blossoms this AM, and caught a few shots of the OPC

[cloudbod]

Good lord these pics rule

[cloudbod]

Pics from today's bike ride: