Obamas Pick New York Architects For Presidential Library
By Rachel Cromidas in News on Jun 30, 2016 7:28PM
A pair of New York architects with some recent Chicago building cred have been selected to design President Barack Obama's library and museum.
The Obama Foundation picked Tod Williams and Billie Tsien of the New York-based Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners among a roster of seven finalists for the project, which will be situated on Chicago's South Side in Washington Park or Jackson Park. The architects are known locally for building the Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago in 2012, in addition to other projects focused on academic institutions, museums and nonprofits.
The husband-and-wife duo's firm will be partnering with the local Interactive Design Architects to design the center, which worked on the Art Institute of Chicago's Modern Wing and is a minority-owned business, according to the Tribune.
A statement from the Obama Foundation said Williams' and Tsien's firm "stood out in their commitment to explore the best ways of creating an innovative center for action that inspires communities and individuals to take on our biggest challenges," and Interactive Design Architects, "brings local knowledge and a track record for delivering excellence to large, complex civic projects."
Chicago secured its bid to be the location of the Presidential Library last year, after a contentious face-off with New York City's Columbia University. It will be the first presidential library in Chicago and could cost over $500 million. Some parks advocates have opposed the decision to base the museum in a public park, and the question of where exactly it will be located remains unresolved.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel praised the selection in a statement Thursday afternoon:
“These two firms have a successful track record of creating innovative civic projects across the country, including the Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago. When complete, the Presidential Center will offer tremendous educational, cultural, and economic benefits to the City and its residents. The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity doubles down on investments already being made on the South Side, creating opportunities for all Chicagoans."