Ideas/ Journal

Almost a year after the untimely death of Helmut Jahn, one of the architect’s final designs is coming to fruition. Jahn’s prolific legacy in Chicago and the surrounding area includes the Thompson Center, Terminal 1 at O’Hare International Airport, and the Mansueto Library at University of Chicago. Building on his penchant for engaging the public through wildly expressive designs, the Pritzker Military Archives Center in Somers, Wisconsin, is a jaunty 48,000-square-foot civic space for archiving and exhibiting military paraphernalia.

The State of Illinois has selected a buyer for the controversial Thompson Center located at 100 W Randolph Street in The Loop. The building, which opened in 1985, was designed by famed architect Helmut Jahn who designed other influential Chicago structures like Terminal 1 at O’Hare International Airport. The sale represents the end of a multi-year process which began in 2018 under the previous governor.