Continued from wikipedia (
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"The building opened in May 1985 as the State of Illinois Center. It was re-dedicated in 1993 to honor former Illinois Governor James R. Thompson. The property takes up the entire block bound by Randolph, Lake, Clark and LaSalle Streets, one of the 35 full-size city blocks within Chicago's Loop. In front of the Thompson Center is a sculpture, Monument With Standing Beast, by Jean Dubuffet. The JRTC is sometimes referred to as the State Building."
Inside view of the Thompson CenterThe JRTC was designed by Murphy/Helmut Jahn and called "outrageous" or "wonderful" by critics when it opened. The color of the street-level panels was compared to tomato soup. The 17-story, all-glass exterior does not reflect the building's function, and instead conveys an image of pure postmodernism; the effect is striking, especially from the Daley Center.[citation needed] Visitors to the JRTC's interior can see all 17 floors layered partway around the building's immense skylit atrium. The open-plan offices on each floor are supposed to carry the message of "an open government in action."
The State Of IL touts the location as follows (
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"Commerce, Culture, & State Offices Under Glass
Where can you find 1.2 million square feet of spectacular space under glass? Nowhere else but the James R. Thompson Center in the heart of downtown Chicago.
If you are looking for an exciting environment in which to host your next special event, our 16-story Atrium and Concourse is the place for you. We can accommodate from 200 to 2000 people for cocktail receptions, dinner dances, or product displays. If your needs include a facility for stage presentation, our 600-seat Assembly Hall Auditorium is just the place.
Conveniently located near hotels, convention facilities, mass transit, expressways, and public parking, this extraordinary architectural setting offers your group - whether it be corporate or very private - a memorable experience.
This fascinating building is a world-wide attraction that features an art gallery, artisans shop, three floors of restaurants and shops, and 13 floors of balconies that surround the 160 foot rotunda. "Wait until you see it... It is no less than breathtaking," wrote the Chicago Tribune's Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic Paul Gapp about the James R.Thompson Center. Spectacular views abound from any vantage point, including the 72-foot diameter open cutout of the lobby which shows the 4,000 square foot lower Concourse level with its marble rosette center. Glass elevator shafts, glass-paneled walls and ceiling, and marble-inlay floors make this an ideal setting for impressive entertaining, elegant sit-down dinners, and perfect dance receptions. The building is one of Chicago's most popular sites for fundraisers, concerts, and other special events.
The James R. Thompson Center is a Special Event.
We'd like to share it with you!"
The building attracts a variety of opinions, see (
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A major complaint is the poor temperature control and thus excessive expense of money in keeping it cool in summer or warm in winter.