Skip to main content

Search the middle of everything...

Shedd Aquarium

Richard J. Daley Center & Plaza

50 W. Washington Street, Chicago, IL 60601

Architecture

This powerful, 31-story tower was designed by Jacques Brownson (b. 1923) of C. F. Murphy Associates. Composed of three massive structural bays, each an unprecedented 87-feet wide and nearly 48-feet deep, and supported by warren trusses at every floor, the building achieves incredible structural integrity and interior flexibility. The exterior wall plane consists of 12-foot-high windows with amber-tinted glass and 6-foot-high panels of self-weathering Cor-Ten steel, which has aged to a rich brown color. The large public plaza features a 50-foot-tall Cor-Ten sculpture of 1967 by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), gifted by him to the city of Chicago. The Daley Center plaza is one in a line of three important public plazas in the heart of the Loop (see also the Federal Center and Chase Bank Plaza). Photo courtesy of AIA Chicago, Wes Urschel. Copy and descriptions courtesy of AIA Illinois and the 150 Great Places in Illinois www.illinoisgreatplaces.com

How to find us?

Back to Listings

What's happening nearby...

Chicago Architecture Biennial - SHIFT: Architecture in Times of Radical Change

Sep 19 – Feb 28

The Chicago Architecture Biennial will be the largest international survey of contemporary architecture in North America.

Read more about Chicago Architecture Biennial - SHIFT: Architecture in Times of Radical Change

Bank of America Chicago Marathon

Oct 12

Running the Bank of America Chicago Marathon is the pinnacle of achievement for elite athletes and everyday runners alike.

Read more about Bank of America Chicago Marathon

Chicago International Film Festival

Oct 15 – Oct 26

Welcome to North America’s longest-running competitive film festival. With more than 120 feature films and 70 shorts films from around the world, this year’s festival is…

Read more about Chicago International Film Festival

You might also be interested...

The Sullivan Center

Chicago

The Sullivan Center, designed by Louis Sullivan in 1898, is a Chicago landmark known for its ornate cast-iron details and steel-frame construction, now housing offices, Target,…

Read more about The Sullivan Center

Skydeck Chicago - The Ledge

Chicago

Skydeck Chicago is the highest observation deck in the US located on the 103rd floor of the iconic Willis Tower.

Read more about Skydeck Chicago - The Ledge

Soldier Field

Chicago

Read more about Soldier Field

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get inspired by top travel stories, gain access to exclusive promotions and contests, and discover even more reasons to #EnjoyIllinois.