the obama foundation has presented a revised concept plan in response to local criticism on location, aesthetics, and function among other things.
[ revision highlights ]
overriding concept > the presidential center consists of – a tower housing a museum, a forum building, and a library that could be a small branch of the chicago public library. an athletic center with a basketball court is proposed south of aforementioned buildings. the buildings will be connected at a basement level. natural light via sunken skylights.
the museum tower > made taller, thinner, with transparent screens made from stone lettering. windows are enlarged and there’s more of them to address the monolithic feels of original concept. open to the public, the top floor is sun-lit with fews of the lake.
the library > the presidential center won’t archive presidential papers, but a digitized version of obama’s unclassified records will be available online and the physical documents to be stored in the national archives and records administration.
the forum > a 300-seat auditorium and a restaurant.
the athletic center > workout rooms and flexibility for basketball, other sports, and dances.
the parking garage > now underground in response to public criticism. garage for 450 cars.
open space > a 19.6-acre site, the center will create 5.16-acres of parkland plus planted rooftops on the buildings. the property will include gardens, a sledding hill and winding paths throughout. stony island avenue will be landscaped.
the foundation to submit its plans to the chicago plan commission and hoping for a spring 2018 approval and a year-end groundbreaking. 2021 would be the opening date.
