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New renderings show what Google has in mind for a classic postmodern atrium from 1985 in the Chicago Loop by the late architect Helmut Jahn. Visuals reveal new bleacher seating, retail options, restaurants, and other amenities lining the former Thompson Center’s vast 17-story enclosed plaza.
The 40-year-old postmodern building was saved from the wrecking ball not long ago. It was nearly demolished in 2020, but that was thwarted when Helmut Jahn, Docomomo, Preservation Futures, and others stepped in. Google bought the Thompson Center in 2022 for $105 million, securing its future.
Google shared renderings of the building’s soon-to-be exterior in December 2023. Those drawings didn’t communicate much about what the tech giant had in mind for the inside, however.
This latest batch of images now show how the beloved atrium, home to the illustrious Sbarro, will be maintained and altered. A+I, a New York–based architecture office, confirmed to AN it is “behind the interior atrium renderings,” which were drawn up by Pixelflakes.
One noticeable change to the former Thompson Center is on the subterranean level. The original mosaic inscribed into the floor inspired by Piazza del Campidoglio appears to be swapped out with new floor art. There’s also a new second floor terrace to the side facing Randolph Street, which Google hopes to rent out to a restaurant.
Another alteration appears to be the overall color scheme. Google opted to switch out the original design’s salmon pinks and pastels for grays, aluminum silver, and khaki. There will also be significant amounts of greenery interspersed throughout the atrium, which office spaces will look out onto, a new cantilevered awning that reaches out over the plaza.
In a Chicago Sun-Times article, Google assured that the atrium will remain open to the public during business hours like it has been in years past. Moreover, to improve accessibility, a new elevator will be installed connecting the ground and subterranean levels.
Construction at Google’s forthcoming Chicago headquarters is slated for completion in 2026.