Obama Presidential Center

The Barack Obama Presidential Center commemorates the 44th president of the United States. The Center will be located in Jackson Park on the South Side of Chicago, near the University of Chicago campus. The university provides planning, support, engagement, and programming. Included within the center’s plans is a new branch for the Chicago Public Library.

CCS provided a concept estimate for the 229,000 SF facility. The Center will be split into three main buildings: a Library, a Forum, and a stone-clad “landmark” tower that will house a Museum. The buildings will form a U-shape around a public plaza which will house various events. With a vision of being “more than a building or a museum”, the Center will be a cultural destination and economic engine for Chicago’s South Side.

Roughly half of the tower will house ticketed exhibition space focused on telling the story of the Obamas, the Civil Rights Movement, and broader African-American history. The rest of the structure, including its top-floor space with views of the park and Lake Michigan, will be open and free to the public. Other spaces will include a visitor’s center, offices, and a Presidential Suite.

The Library will provide electronic access to presidential documents and may potentially house a Chicago Public Library branch. The Forum building will house multi-purpose public spaces such as meeting rooms, an auditorium, and a restaurant.

Plans also call for a 400-car underground parking garage and an athletic center with multi-sport indoor facilities overlooking an outdoor running track. The landscape plan for the 22-acre site includes a bike and pedestrian promenade, a children’s play area, and a restoration of Jackson Park’s historic comfort station.

CCS was one of three firms asked to develop a concept estimate based on the architect’s preliminary design.

The buildings will be certified LEED v4 Platinum for resource efficiency and sustainability.