James R. Thompson Center

James R. Thompson Center Review

People either hate or love the center: former governor James Thompson, who selected the Helmut Jahn design for this state government building, hailed it in his dedication speech in 1985 as "the first building of the 21st century." For others, it's a case of postmodernism run amok. A bowl-like form topped by a truncated cylinder, the building's sky-blue and salmon color scheme screams 1980s. But the 17-story atrium, where exposed elevators zip up and down and sunlight casts dizzying patterns through the metal-and-glass skin, is one of the most animated interiors to be found anywhere in the city. The sculpture in the plaza is Jean Dubuffet's Monument with Standing Beast. It's nearly as controversial as the building itself. The curved shapes, in white with black traceries, have been compared to a pile of melting Chicago snow. The Illinois Artisans Shop (312/814-5321), on the second level of the center, sells crafts, jewelry, and folk art by Illinois artists and is open weekdays 9-5.