So far it's butt-ugly, though.

I'm glad I don't have to look at it.

?q=75&w=3200&fm=webp

That would IMO require lots of glass and soaring lines.

They always leak.

Seems like they heard the concerns about taking up park space, so they went up with it, but I keep expecting some Frenchman to appear at the top and hurl insults and taunts at those below.

And your father smelt of elderberries!"

Strength, security, benevolence, and vision. It looks solid, like Obama.

It's not a style of architecture I would choose myself, but it's far from a monstrosity!

There's no pleasing some folks.

Most of the original buildings from the late 60s and early 70s are neo-brutalist style. I have to say though that the university has done a nice job with the placement of trees and green areas to soften the effect.

It's a blend of primitive and modern style.

I was just wonder if people are supposed to be able to read that upper left section, or if they're just random letters.

The prospective image you link to makes it seem like it'll be covered with light colored stone veneer and then there's the lettering.
I think it'll grow on people - YMMV.

...it's tidy and trim, with a look of a arty vase.

I suspect folks will get used to it.

better. At least it doesn’t look like slabs of concrete.

It's a bit unusual looking, but hardly horrendous, imo.

looks like a bomb shelter. I hope they do something more to it than just concrete or whatever it is.

Hopefully they have something less stark planned

I love futuristic architecture, but that thing looks like a Minecraft house made by a 7 year old.

...local resistance to the building claiming public park space when it was first proposed, am I right about that? And is the community more comfortable with that situation now?

There are not many parks on the south side and this is taking space in one of the biggest ones -- Jackson park. The Friends of the Parks organization has filed suits but so far none have gotten anywhere.

Once the decision was made to site it in Chicago, it had to be vertical.

Some of that resistance might have something to do with that 'uppity black man' having been President. Just a thought.

Me, I like it. It's built for the future, our kids future.

It's in the historically black South Side of the Midwest's most Liberal city.

I think it's kind of cool.

https://www.obama.org/stories/opc-2019/

Hard to believe how many comment without first Googling what the finished building will look like.

Not everyone will like it. I mentioned below to another poster that it reminds me of an ancient monolith which I find to be pretty darn cool.

buildings are different in person.

I just try to stay away from the mean ones. : )

It is Cool.

The finished design looks quite good to me, also I'm not convinced this is actually a 'brutalist' style:

really any kind of ancient monolith with a sculpture like feel.

The more I look at the more I find it fascinating.

Now that I have spent some time at the link you provided us, it seems a perfect plan and worthy of Michelle and Barack Obama’s vision.

Why do people have to be so reflexively cranky? I don’t get it.

I've been to the architecture firm doing the building and have seen the model. What you're looking at is a part of an unfinished structure.

I think it is hideous. It looks like a water treatment plant.

A lot.

If it's anything like the rendering, it should be pretty impressive.

But it’s different. It might be pretty interesting once the eye gets used to it. Frankly I’m sick of all those glass towers that now dominate the major cities. Big yawn. It’s kind of soothing and pleasant when the eye travels to the old, classic architecture in between a sea of tall glass toothpick skyscrapers.

“ The Museum building’s design embodies the idea of ascension—of a movement upward from the grassroots. Its form is inspired by the idea of four hands coming together; a recognition that many hands shape a place. Inside, exhibits will explore the fullness of the American story—from the promise of our founding documents to the movements that challenged us to live up to them. ”

Nope. Don't see it.

are all inside pants pockets!

4D chess!

that will survive like pyramids for thousands of years. Not super excited by it, but accept Obamas’ vision for the site.

…as the sun crosses it during the day (partly why I’m so fond of the Getty Villa museum — a very different kind of building, but the travertine marble changes with the light of the sun throughout the day) . I’m sure the words on the corner of the building will be meaningful as well.

of something to come like the Obamas’ (Prez and FLOTUS) vision of peace/future in 35 words.

That might make a huge difference in that building.

that's interesting. 👍

I suppose I'll get used to it. 🙂
As in I 've never gotten to Chicago, I wasn't going visit it until Obama's Library was/is finished. 👍

But like some say, maybe it will be changed.

A large square panel lower left. And the words on the upper left corner have plenty of air space behind them, seemingly, so I would not think that light is being excluded there. In addition the long low portion of the building on the right seems to be supplied with large glass windows and doors.

I think it’ll have natural light when the sun is out.

I didn't realize what I thought was a lattice are words! Like it's a two sided corner.

If the ?stone, or concrete work is that textured as smaller slabs that's kind of interesting, catches the light differently. I thought but was a smooth surface.

its got an ancient vibe to it.

Too bad about the sacrifice of park space, though - we need as much of that as we can get (everywhere).

Of the artist’s renderings has it surrounded by a vast park and natural surroundings



✌🏻

I do wonder about the lack of windows however.

In/near Hyde Park? I lived there, for about 10 years; pleasant.

Does look rather 'blah,' at the moment.

There’s recency bias on display every day here.

People can have opinions on buildings that are different from their opinions about the person connected to the building.

of an aircraft carrier.

He was far before his time.

I like the finished design and all of the parks and trails. It is built for today and for future generations.

Built to last for many lifetimes. They were built on a lot of blood sweat and tears, by slaves. Pretty much speaks volumes, to me at least, why it was designed this way.

This is on the South side of Chicago where he worked as a community organizer.

Thanks Hekate.

Based on the rendering I like it.

would make a great episode set.

Think it has a sculptural quality. And the stone will look warmer in light. Interesting.

...

The first thing that came to mind was ‘chunky and clunky’. Brutalist with pretensions. It almost looks medieval - like it should have a drawbridge and be surrounded by a moat. I would have thought that a building celebrating Obama would look more airy and aspirational.

Construction? The finished project will look nothing like that. It will be white, but will have cutaway features and a faceted exterior to reflect sunlight over the course of a day.

The design is supposed to be evocative of upraised hands together, to allude to reaching for the skies, to aspirations. It has some very strong evocations of African art, as well. Some of the architects' final renderings have a hint of Kenyan tribal symbolism going on when seen from a distance--which would be fitting for a half-Kenyan former President.

I remember how some people hated the Vietnam Memorial at its unveiling because it seemed so dreary and harsh, like a black wound through the earth, but it soon thereafter became one of the most beloved of all the memorials in DC because its very starkness let people imbue it with their own meaning.

Let's wait until we see the finished product with the Obama Library, and let it tell its story over time, or for us to imprint it with ours, before rendering a verdict on its design.

The National Archives will store Obama materials.

I get what the designer said about the hands.

If you look at your hand in a sideways, on edge position thumb facing you; see how the back of the hand isn't straight it tilts some what "backwards" till the knuckles, then the fingers slant forward.

That's a he shape each side of the overall building is imitating.

And that is cool in my opinion.

They are not there now and trees that were there have been cut down for the construction.

of what it will look like.

But those take generations. Also they were going to use marble but switched to granite because of Chicago weather. Granite has no reflection and is terrible to look at.

Now, I would like to visit it when completed, roam the gardens, explore the interior. Having never been to Chicago, it would be quite an experience altogether.

I'll wait until I see the final product for my own opinion, but whatever.

The Clinton Library kind of looks like a fancy oversized trailer but it serves its purpose.

The building isn’t finished yet.

To judge it now would be unfair to the designers and the builders.

Let’s see it when it’s finished

in your own special way.

I can't believe the comments on this post - or the drive-by OP.

What did you want? The Getty Villa?

automatically like it because we like Obama? I don't think so. I can like Obama and do not like this building one bit. Looks like an abandoned industrial site. No windows, the writing is illegible at this point. It doesn't look like anything and doesn't make me want to come inside to see what it is. I just don't get it.

I think DU would have preferred the Getty Villa. Or maybe Neuschwanstein Castle.

Final product, because it does have windows. Not a lot, but it does have them:





Besides, it's a library not a hotel or office complex. Sunlight is toxic to library materials. You do realize that...right?

at everything I have found. I see a stone box with some writing that goes around a 90% angle away from the viewer. Kinda Pyramids meet Tower of London. Only the Tower has more windows. Yes, I'm aware that you don't want unfiltered light in a library. The Library of Congress has somehow figured it out, as well as many other libraries the world over.

in addition to the obvious ones on the facade. There is also a multi-story component on a corner that looks to be another series of screened windows. They wanted to control light inside so that's a good method.

His materials will not be stored there. The archives in D.C. has them. Because of technology, the internet, the archives now keeps presidential materials, not the former presidents. That is why it is called a Presidential Center not a Library. So much for your no windows "argument".

Also, the picture you showed was the original conception which was marble. Because of Chicago weather they have dumped the marble and switched to granite. Which cannot be made attractive.

But carry on....

I'd like to see the architects proposal.
Unfortunately this looks like a WW2 german flak tower.

It's far beyond the "proposal" stage. Note: the building at the right (with the planted roof) and the one where this view is from are also part of the project.



https://chicago.curbed.com/2019/10/28/20936254/obama-presidential-center-design-changes-museum-library-map

They dumped the marble for granite because of Chicago weather. Good luck trying to make that attractive.

Do you know of one with granite?

Limestone would have been a more local choice, but maybe too pourous and a bit dull.

Because they're all over the internet, if one bothers to do a Google search for 'Obama library architect renderings.'

Trying to comprehend how that's so very difficult...

Maybe you should move instead?

And they should repaint over those ugly orange girders of the upper floors.

What‘s that? It‘s not finished yet?

Oh. That‘s another matter entirely.

Never mind!

this:

so they're not brothers from different mothers!

Seems pretty nice at ground level, where people will be.

When they were going to use white marble. They dumped the marble for granite because of Chicago weather.