Obama Presidential Center breaks silence over controversial building design

The Obama Presidential Center is breaking its silence after years of criticism over its unconventional design, with an Obama Foundation official now addressing public questions about the project.

Construction began in 2021, and Chicagoans have had mixed reviews about the design for the 225-foot-tall structure. The gray, mostly windowless building is on Chicago's South Side and will serve as a presidential center and museum.

Obama Foundation Deputy Director Kim Patterson said the design of the building was a specific choice, including its lack of windows.

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"There are not a lot of windows on the building, but that's intentional, because sunlight is just not a friend to the artwork and the artifacts that are going inside of the building," Patterson told CBS News during a tour of the property.

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She also defended the building's unconventional style.

"The shape of the building was actually meant to mimic four hands coming together to show the importance of our collective action," Patterson said.

Still, not all Chicago residents have embraced the new addition to the city's skyline. The project has faced pushback over the years, including a lawsuit filed in 2018. The lawsuit accused the city of illegally transferring parkland to the Obama Foundation and ended in 2022.

There have also been protests at the site, with some Chicagoans openly criticizing the building's design. The New York Post reported that some locals have dubbed the structure "The Obamalisk," a reference to its brutalist architectural style.

Despite the criticism, Patterson told CBS that local input has played an important role in the project. She described community objections to the location of the parking garage.

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"If the parking garage was here, it could possibly block sunlight coming to their area, their gardens," Patterson said.

She explained that the Obama Foundation instead decided to build the garage underground.

Since 2017, the project's cost has grown from an estimated $500 million to roughly $850 million in 2025. The Obama Presidential Center is scheduled to open in June 2026.