Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects Selected to Design Obama Presidential Library in Chicago

With the end of Barack Obama’s presidency fast upon us, many Americans are scratching their heads, wondering how eight years could have possibly gone by so fast. One group that is not feeling caught off guard, however, is the Obama Foundation, which has been laying the groundwork for the 44th’s post-presidency for some time now. This week, a new milestone was reached, as the foundation announced that it has chosen a firm to design the Obama Presidential Library in Chicago.

Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects beat out more than 140 other proposals from around the world to be chosen to carry out this venerable task. The Obama Foundation explained its choice by stating that the husband and wife duo “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.”

© Jason Smith

The Obama Foundation described Tod Williams and Billie Tsien’s proposal as an “innovative center for action”; via Chicago Architects Foundation.

“We are deeply moved by the mission of the Obama Foundation and the role the Center can play in empowering that mission. It is a joy, an honor and a responsibility to create a place that reflects the optimism and integrity of the President and the First Lady,” wrote Williams and Tsien in a statement. “This has been a transformative presidency, and we will work to make a Center that embodies and expands the Obamas’ vision.”

Williams and Tsien have made headlines in the past for their innovative cultural and educational projects, which have included the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia and the American Museum of Folk Art, a New York City landmark that was demolished in 2014 to make way for a MoMA expansion. They are known for their ability and willingness to meet the needs of the unique projects they undertake.

“We have chosen to work on only a few projects at a time, to allow for intense personal involvement in all aspects of the design and construction of a building,” noted the architects. “This work should reflect optimism and love. The spiritual aspect of the work will emerge if the work is done well.”

The future president campaigning for the Illinois State Senate in Chicago during the mid-90s; via The New Yorker.

The Obama Foundation considered multiple sites for the Presidential Library, including Hawaii, where the President was born. Chicago was chosen in the end because it was the city where Obama got his start in politics, first as a community organizer and eventually as a US Senator from Illinois. The foundation has noted its intention for the library to serve as a site of “ongoing projects and initiatives” during Obama’s post-presidency.

Williams and Tsien will be aided by Interactive Design Architects (IDEA), a Chicago-based firm, in realizing the project. The building is projected to cost $500 million. and its opening is scheduled for 2021.

Cover Image via Chicago Tribune