CHICAGO | Obama Presidential Library

[dewbs]

View from the law school:

From the lab school:

[southoftheloop]

Looks great!

[Via Chicago]

Recent NYT profile had a bunch of pics including some interior

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/18/arts/design/obama-presidential-center-chicago.html

https://archive.is/8rVRP

[Klippenstein]

I hadn't actually looked at ^that article^ until now. I like this picture because it really shows how sprawling the impact is. We don't usually see this angle.



Here's a more recent one from Doug Shaeffer. Has a really interesting look with the lighting in the snow.

[ardecila]

Obama is now committing to a June 2026 opening, final date to be identified later. We'll see if they push the timeline but they're certainly getting close.

[Jstange059]

CBS just posted a good video on the Obama Presidential Center
https://youtu.be/OOz7OuLqXtM?si=-TF-lDbfOxcJN3Qc

[Via Chicago]

Close up from Lee Beys recent sun times article





https://chicago.suntimes.com/architectur...-selma-america-quote-presidential-center

[VKChaz]

Originally Posted by Jstange059

CBS just posted a good video on the Obama Presidential Center
https://youtu.be/OOz7OuLqXtM?si=-TF-lDbfOxcJN3Qc

The sledding hill is a nice touch. A feature which I thought was suprisingly lacking in Chicago

[dewbs]

I'll be honest, if the current president built something similar in my neighborhood, with giant letters saying "grab them by the pussy" or whatever his most famous quote is, I'd have to move. So I can see how this would bother some people. On the other hand, most of the clear views of it seem to me to be from the university.

[dewbs]

delete

[Busy Bee]

I'll be honest, a monument built for the glorication and memory of the thing currently living in The People's House would be a disgraceful abomination even from mere concept let alone actually built.


Regarding the OPL, the typographic element is going to look great. I wish I could say the same about the stained glass window. It's honestly one of the ugliest things I've ever seen.

[Cress3803]

the fact Trump is eyeing Miami is just about perfect

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by dewbs

I'll be honest, if the current president built something similar in my neighborhood, with giant letters saying "grab them by the pussy" or whatever his most famous quote is, I'd have to move. So I can see how this would bother some people. On the other hand, most of the clear views of it seem to me to be from the university.

Plenty of monuments and presidential libraries include quotations, and this is not exactly an offensive or controversial one. Nor does it really glorify Obama the man, it is in praise of the American people. It does include the campaign slogan "Yes We Can" but that's about it.

It's a little cringe to put a giant quote up like this while the man is still alive, but I don't know who would be offended by the quote itself.

You are America. Unconstrained by habit and convention. Unencumbered by what is, ready to seize what ought to be. For everywhere in this country, there are first steps to be taken, there is new ground to cover, there are more bridges to be crossed. America is not the project of any one person. The single most powerful word in our democracy is the word ‘We.’ ‘We The People.’ ‘We Shall Overcome.’ ‘Yes We Can.’ That word is owned by no one. It belongs to everyone. Oh, what a glorious task we are given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours.

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Regarding the OPL, the typographic element is going to look great.

I dunno about this, the way the text wraps the corner is pretty awkward. Only people in Woodlawn will see the full quote, anyone at UChicago or in Hyde Park or Jackson Park will get this weird cutoff view. It's certainly a cool idea to do a lacy screen element to contrast with the fortress-like building, but the execution seems a little lacking.

[VKChaz]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

I wish I could say the same about the stained glass window. It's honestly one of the ugliest things I've ever seen.

Do we have a full appreciation for how the window will appear? Like will it be lit at night?

[Klippenstein]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Plenty of monuments and presidential libraries include quotations, and this is not exactly an offensive or controversial one. Nor does it really glorify Obama the man, it is in praise of the American people. It does include the campaign slogan "Yes We Can" but that's about it.

It's a little cringe to put a giant quote up like this while the man is still alive, but I don't know who would be offended by the quote itself.








I dunno about this, the way the text wraps the corner is pretty awkward. Only people in Woodlawn will see the full quote, anyone at UChicago or in Hyde Park or Jackson Park will get this weird cutoff view. It's certainly a cool idea to do a lacy screen element to contrast with the fortress-like building, but the execution seems a little lacking.

From the street it actually looks decent

[cloudbod]

Originally Posted by Klippenstein

Whoa, this is looking super cool already!!! What are the letters made of? I feel like they must be concrete, but the texture really resembles the granite cladding.

[ardecila]

It's likely a cast stone (cement) that is tinted to match the granite.

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Klippenstein

From the street it actually looks decent

That actually looks pretty cool.

[Busy Bee]

Any chance that's cast aluminum? There's a long history of architectural typographic display ornament being cast aluminum. Making those delicate forms out of concrete, even if it is fiber reinforced, seems risky to me for lots of reasons.


This looks really good.

[F1 Tommy]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Any chance that's cast aluminum? There's a long history of architectural typographic display ornament being cast aluminum. Making those delicate forms out of concrete, even if it is fiber reinforced, seems risky to me for lots of reasons.


This looks really good.

I would bet it's metal, maybe aluminum.