Washington Library

This unbuilt concept proposal reimagines the Obama Presidential Center as an open, light-filled campus seamlessly integrated into Chicago’s urban fabric and surrounding parkland. Set against the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan, the design prioritizes public accessibility, civic engagement, and ecological harmony.
The complex is centered around a low-profile pavilion sheltered by a broad floating roof. At its core, a circular amphitheater embedded in the canopy forms an open-air central oculus for civic gatherings. Slender columns elevate the roof structure to maintain a transparent, fluid ground level, while an adjacent linear, greenhouse-like building with translucent gabled roofs borders the western transit corridor. Glass curtain walls and warm interior lighting create a glowing threshold between inside and out, complemented by radial roof patterns and sky apertures that filter natural daylight into the interior.
Harmonizing with its setting, the layout integrates tree groves and seasonal flora across broad, paved plazas. Direct pedestrian pathways connect the center to local neighborhood streets and transit lines, rooting the campus in its community while preserving open views toward downtown.