Daley Plaza and Thompson Center

- James R. Thompson Center, Chicago City Hall, Richard J. Daley Center, Chicago Temple, Cadillac Palace, Picasso sculpture, Dubuffet sculpture

Daley Plaza is a large square in the Loop, named after the popular mayor Richard J. Daley. Originally it was called Civic Center Plaza, since you find most of the municipal buildings here. Demonstrations and cultural events are often held at the plaza and the lobby of Daley Center. Here you find a large Picasso sculpture, and several interesting buildings;

James R. Thompson Center (formerly State of Illinois Center), a striking 17-storey structure built 1985, that is the administrative building of Illinois. It features a large futuristic atrium, with impressive Blade Runner like architecture and glass enclosed elevators, that is open to public (not the elevators though) but with high security. The atrium is very colourful, the steel is exposed, painted red and turquoise. Thompson Center was designed by Murphy/Jahn. Inside the building you will find 600 artworks by Chicago artists. A large sculpture by Dubuffet stands in front of the entrance. The 8.8 m high sculpture, Monument with the Standing Beast, is a popular landmark and was created in 1984. The Cadillac Palace, a grandiose theatre opposite Thompson Center, was built in 1926. The Oriental Theatre is also very close. Actually Chicago's Theater District begins just at Daley Plaza.

Chicago City Hall, a neo-classistic building constructed 1905-1911 and designed by Holabird & Roche. It occupies an entire block, and features corithian columns. It consist of two symmetrical buildings, the City Hall and the County Hall. The flags of Cook County, State of Illinois and the USA can all be found at the entrance.

Richard J. Daley Center from 1965 that was one of the first modernist glass skyscrapers ever built and was designed by Skidmore Owings and Merrill, it has only 32 floors but was Chicago's tallest building 1965-69 (surpassed by the much taller John Hancock Center). A huge Picasso sculpture from 1967 stands in front of the building (said to be the profile of mayor Daley that the square was named after)

Chicago Temple, a gothic "skyscraper church" built in 1924, that is the world's largest church building. Behind the temple you find the 57-storey Three First National Plaza from 1981. The postmodern skyscraper United Building is also close.

 

Daley Plaza 01 - City Hall and Daley Center Daley Plaza 02 - City Hall Daley Plaza 03 - Daley Center and Picasso sculpture Daley Plaza 04 - Richard J. Daley Center Daley Plaza 05 - towards Millennium Park Daley Plaza 06 Daley Plaza 07 Daley Plaza 08 - Picasso sculpture Daley Plaza 09 - Chicago Temple Daley Plaza 10 - Chicago Temple Daley Plaza 11 Daley Plaza 12 - Picasso sculpture Daley Plaza 14 - Picasso sculpture Daley Plaza 15 Daley Plaza 16 Daley Plaza 17 - City Hall Daley Plaza 18 - City Hall Daley Plaza 19 - Thompson Center Daley Plaza 20 Daley Plaza 21 - Chicago Temple, and a bank Daley Plaza 22 Daley Plaza 23 - Chicago Temple Daley Plaza 24 - Chicago City Hall Daley Plaza 25 - City Hall, Cook County flag Daley Plaza 26 Daley Plaza 27 - Richard J. Daley Center Daley Plaza 28 Daley Plaza 29 - Dubuffet sculpture Daley Plaza 30 - Thompson Center and United Bldg Daley Plaza 31 Daley Plaza 32 - Thompson Center and Picasso sculpture Daley Plaza 33 Daley Plaza 34 - City Hall and Thompson Center Daley Plaza 35 Daley Plaza 36 and 3 First National Plaza - Chicago Temple Daley Plaza 37 - Cadillac Palace Significant skyscrapers seen from Daley Plaza Dubuffet sculpture 01 Dubuffet sculpture 02 Dubuffet sculpture 03 Dubuffet sculpture 04 Dubuffet sculpture 05 James R. Thompson Center 01 James R. Thompson Center 02 - exterior at from Daley Plaza James R. Thompson Center's entrance and Cadillac Palace James R. Thompson Center 04 - entrance James R. Thompson Center 05 - atrium James R. Thompson Center 06 - atrium James R. Thompson Center 07 - atrium James R. Thompson Center 08 - atrium James R. Thompson Center 09 - atrium James R. Thompson Center 10 - atrium James R. Thompson Center 11 James R. Thompson Center 12 James R. Thompson Center 13 James R. Thompson Center 14 James R. Thompson Center 15 James R. Thompson Center 16 L train Lake Street 01 Lake Street 02 Lake Street 03 Lake Street 04 United Bldg (1992)