• IdentificationPUBLIC "-//The Art Institute of Chicago::Ryerson and Burnham Art and Architecture Archives//TEXT(US::ICA::1988.3::CHICAGO LIBRARY DESIGN COMPETITION RECORDS, 1987-1990)//EN" "ica1988033.xml"
  • TitleChicago Library Design Competition Records, 1987-1990
  • PublisherArt Institute of Chicago Archives, Research Center, The Art Institute of Chicago,
  • Language
    • English.
    • English
  • Date1987-1990
  • Physical Description
    • 6 linear feet (24 boxes), 2 portfolios, 3 oversize portfolios and flatfile materials
    • Printed papers, typescript papers, correspondence, black and white and color photographic prints, architectural reprographic prints and photocopies.
  • RepositoryRyerson and Burnham Art and Architecture Archives, The Art Institute of Chicago 111 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60603-6110 archives@artic.edu https://www.artic.edu/archival-collections
  • AbstractThis collection includes documents that record several phases of the 1987-1988 competition to select a design/build team and a design for the new Central Library in Chicago.
  • OriginationChicago Public Library Design Competition Jury.
  • LocationThe collection is housed in the Art Institute of Chicago Archives’ on-site stacks.

In the summer of 1987, the Board of Directors of the Chicago Public Library and the Department of Planning of the City of Chicago proposed a design/build* competition for the city's new central library; this proposal was duly authorized by the City Council, along with a bond issue for the $140 million contract. During the first phase of the open international competition process, the design/build teams assembled themselves and prepared their responses to the city's Request for Qualifications (RFQ). The responses included the professional qualifications and experience of the individual members of each design/build team, as well as an organizational chart, and proof of ability to comply with the city's demands for participation of Minority Business Enterprises and Women Business Enterprises. Only six consortia met the November 30, 1987 deadline for submission of a RFQ. Of these six, only five teams progressed to phase two of the competition, the submission of a final design/build proposal, including models and renderings, plans, a project management program and work schedule, technical specifications, and a final budget to meet the guaranteed maximum price of the building. Each team ultimately received a $100,000 honorarium to defray the costs of preparing its submission.

On May 9, 1988 these five teams submitted their proposals to the eleven-member jury* appointed by Mayor Washington the previous November. The jury was charged with selecting the winning design; if the city chose to reject the jury's recommendation the city would have to pay that team a $300,000 cash prize and could then select another architect (not one of the five finalists) and bid the construction in the traditional manner.

While the jury deliberated, the models, renderings and plans were exhibited at the library's Cultural Center. Public comment was sought and conveyed to the jury. The five finalists also had the opportunity to present their designs at the Design/Build Public Forum sponsored by the Friends of The Chicago Public Library. The jury interviewed the five finalists June 16-17, and its selection of the Sebus Group was ratified by the library's Board of Directors on June 20, 1988.

The ground-breaking ceremony took place October 13, 1988. The Harold Washington Library Center (named after the late Mayor) was dedicated October 4, 1991.

*Design/build: This process requires an architect to prepare the design documents and a contractor to prepare the construction documents and budget. It often includes an extensive consortium of engineers and special consultants. In this particular competition, a developer was to assume the responsibilities of the client, overseeing the design and construction phases of the building in compliance with the library's program and budget.

*Jury: The eleven members included five representatives of the Chicago business community, a New York architect, a library director from the District of Columbia, two architectural historians (one from the Chicago area), one member of the Chicago Public Library Board of Directors, and a Chicago academician.

BRIEF CHRONOLOGY

Oct. 16, 1987. RFQ applications available to interested firms.

Nov. 30, 1987. Deadline for receipt of completed RFQ applications.

Dec., 1987-Jan., 1988. Technical Review Committee evaluated the RFQs and brought to the jury questions needing further clarification. Teams responded by January 8.

Jan. 14, 1988. Announcement of five finalist teams.

May 9, 1988. Detailed design/build proposals submitted by the five teams.

May, 1988. Technical Review Committee evaluated the design/build proposals and brought to the jury questions needing clarification. Teams responded by May 27.

May 15-20, 1988. Models and drawings of the five entries were exhibited at the Library's Cultural Center.

June 16-17, 1988. Jury interviewed the five teams.

June 20, 1988. Library's Board of Directors ratified the jury's selection of The Sebus Group.

Oct. 13, 1988. Ground-breaking ceremony.

Oct. 4, 1991. Dedication of the Harold Washington Library Center.

This collection is comprised of the guidelines and program documents published for the competition; the RFQs (Request for Qualifications) and the design/build proposals from the entrants; and reports from the Technical Review Committee and the teams' responses. It does not contain jury meeting minutes, personal notes of Mrs. Pritzker, or media clippings documenting the press coverage of the competition process.

Materials are arranged by subject in roughly chronological order; within each subject items are arranged alphabetically or chronologically.

  • Names
    • Theodore Stein Company.
    • Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
    • Legoretta Arquitectos.
    • John Buck Company.
    • Arthur Erickson Architects, Ltd.
    • VOA Associates, Incorporated.
    • Lohan Associates.
    • Murphy/Jahn (Firm)
    • Tishman Midwest Management Corp.
    • U.S. Equities Realty, Inc.
    • Hammond, Beeby, and Babka.
    • Eisenman Robertson Architects.

BOX.FF

Flatf.

n.d.

Portf.

OP

TLS

Chicago Public Library Archives, Harold Washington Library Center, design build competition records (Chicago Public Library).

This collection may be accessed by users in the Reading Room of the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries at The Art Institute of Chicago. Collections maintained on-site are available for patron use without prior arrangement or appointment. Collections maintained in off-site storage will be retrieved with advance notification; please consult the Archivist for the current retrieval schedule. For further information, consult https://www.artic.edu/archival-collections/contact-usage-and-faq.

The Art Institute of Chicago is providing access to the materials in the Archives’ collections solely for noncommercial educational and research purposes. The unauthorized use, including, but not limited to, publication of the materials without the prior written permission of the Art Institute is strictly prohibited. All inquiries regarding permission to publish should be submitted in writing to the Director, Art Institute of Chicago Archives. In addition to permission from the Art Institute, permission of the copyright owner (if not the Art Institute) and/or any holder of other rights (such as publicity and/or privacy rights) may also be required for reproduction, publication, distribution, and other uses. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of any item and securing any necessary permissions rests with the persons desiring to publish the item. The Art Institute makes no warranties as to the accuracy of the materials or their fitness for a particular purpose.

Chicago Library Design Competition Records, Ryerson and Burnham Art and Architecture Archives, The Art Institute of Chicago.

The majority of this collection was donated by Marian (Cindy) Pritzker, a member of the Chicago Public Library Board of Directors and member of the jury appointed to review and select the design/build team. Additional photographs from an unknown source were added in 2014.

The collection was processed by staff of the Ryerson and Burnham Archives in 1999. This finding aid was revised and expanded by Annemarie van Roessel in 2002 and Anna Feuer in 2014.

A list detailing the individual members of each design consortium is appended to the end of this finding aid, after the series lists.

New materials may be added to this collection on an irregular basis.