Chicago Construction News staff writer
Google has released new designs for its redevelopment of Chicago’s Thompson Center, showing changes to the building’s central atrium, new retail and gathering spaces and a planned 30-foot sculpture for the plaza.
The company released the designs Sept. 16 as it continues work on the 17-story building, which Google purchased to serve as its Chicago office and a community destination.
The redevelopment is being designed with Architecture Plus Information, or A+I. Plans call for expanding the central opening beneath the atrium and adding a cascading staircase with terraced seating and retail space.
The staircase will connect the lower level with the main atrium and provide access to the Chicago Transit Authority system.
Google said the redesigned atrium and plaza will include food and retail spaces, seating areas and space for seasonal events.
The company also announced that artist Sanford Biggers has been selected to create a sculpture for the plaza. The work, titled Vector, will be 30 feet tall and will be part of Biggers’ Codex series, which draws on patterns and imagery found in antique quilts.
The sculpture will incorporate glazed terracotta tiles based on historic quilts from the Illinois State Museum and Chicago History Museum. It also will include a Tumbling Block pattern that Google said has historical associations with signaling along the Underground Railroad.
Google said it plans to commission additional artwork for the atrium from artists with ties to Chicago.
The company also announced partnerships with two Chicago organizations. Google is working with After School Matters on a student-designed artwork for the retail concourse and supporting A Better Chicago on efforts to address chronic absenteeism among local students.
Google announced in 2022 that it planned to purchase the James R. Thompson Center and redevelop the building. The company said its Chicago office has grown to more than 2,000 employees since it opened in the city in 2000.
The Thompson Center, designed by architect Helmut Jahn, opened in 1985 as the State of Illinois Center. The building is known for its curved glass facade and large interior atrium.
Google said the redevelopment will maintain the building’s role as a public gathering place while providing space for offices, retail, food and cultural activities.
