Google and Jahn release images of Thompson Center redesign

Retaining the iconic form

The plans for the redesign retain the original rounded form and the 17-storey atrium inside. Its glass curtain wall will change, moving from the slightly darkened patterned glass of the original to a more uniform, sleek look.

Located in the core of Downtown Chicago – known as the Loop – the Thompson Center was designed in the 1980s by local architect Helmut Jahn. It housed offices for the Illinois state government and connections for the Chicago Transit Authority.

Collaboration with Jahn Studios

Last year, tech company Google purchased the building from the city and plans to make it a centre for its offices and to rent extra space. Google will retain Jahn's practice, named Jahn, for the redesign.

"For the Thompson Center, we're working with the building's original architects at Jahn to help bring the design into the 21st century while maintaining its iconic form," said the company.

It said that the redesign was meant to "honor the postmodern legacy of the building".

Preserving public access and sustainability goals

The renderings show a second-storey amenities space placed above these columns on the interior of the building.

The developers on the project, The Prime Group and Capri Investment Group, confirmed that the train connections accessible through the atrium will remain under Google's plans, which means that some part of the atrium's ground and subterranean levels will remain open to the public.

Google has also set ambitious sustainability goals for the structure, aiming for "carbon-free" operation by 2030. The new facade will also allow for less artificial lighting during the day. Google said that the redevelopment will take "several years to complete".