James R. Thompson Center, Chicago

The James R. Thompson Center鈥擟hicago鈥檚 boldest architectural flex and probably the only government building that looks like it was dreamed up during a sugar rush. Designed by Helmut Jahn and opened in 1985, this glassy, candy-colored spaceship crash-landed in the Loop to declare: 鈥淏ureaucracy can be funky too.鈥�

Meant to symbolize transparency and accessibility (both metaphorically and quite literally鈥攈ello, all-glass walls), the Thompson Center gathered 50 state agency offices under one postmodern roof, tossed in a food court, and called it a civic center. It鈥檚 part government building, part community hangout, and part architectural fever dream.

Being here, you can't help talking curves鈥攂ecause this place loves them. The southeast side sweeps upward in blue glass and salmon-pink steel, evoking the grand domes of historic government buildings while breaking away from the strict linearity of modernism. The dome-like shape pays homage to the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, adding a historical reference to its otherwise contemporary appearance. Meanwhile, the facades overlooking LaSalle and Lake Street keep things a bit more traditional鈥攇rid lines, symmetry, restraint鈥攕o that the neighbors don鈥檛 panic.

Inside, it鈥檚 a whole other planet. The 13-story rotunda is a jaw-dropper: 160 feet wide, skylit, and circled by open balconies like an office colosseum. Glass elevators zoom up and down, escalators crisscross, and down below, the food court buzzes with everything from lunch-break chitchat to existential dread about the Department of Motor Vehicles line. The rotunda serves as a vibrant heart of the complex, enhancing its role as a 鈥減eople鈥檚 center.鈥�

Now, cooling this giant glass building is no small task. The solution?鈥攊s ice slush (seriously). The building makes ice at night when energy鈥檚 cheap, stores it in basement tanks, then uses it to chill the place by day. Efficient and refreshing鈥攍ike a Slurpee for the Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning system.

Indeed, the Thompson Center is equally weird, wild, and wonderfully open鈥攁nd it just might be the only government building that could double as a sci-fi movie set...

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Chicago. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: James R. Thompson Center
Sight Location: Chicago, USA (See walking tours in Chicago)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

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