About the Thompson Center (Chicago Office)

Lt. Governor Quinn’s Chicago office is located in the James R. Thompson Center. Opened in 1985, the Thompson Center is a post-modern facility that hosts more than 10,000 people every day. Designed by Helmut Jahn (Murphy/Jahn Architects) the building uses the contextualism and symbolic aspects of post-modernism to represent a transparent government.

Helmut Jahn began his career as a Modernist architect trained at the Illinois Institute of Technology’s architecture school. His early works in Chicago include the 55 West Monroe building which fore-shadowed the transition from Modernism to Post-Modernism. His other major Chicago commissions include the United Airlines terminal at O’Hare Airport and the Chicago Board of Trade Annex.

After a long hiatus, Jahn has recently returned to design new dormitories for his alma-matter (IIT) and one of the city’s first environmentally-friendly affordable housing facilities.

The Thompson Center is centered around a 17-story atrium with the government offices on balconies visible to the public. The first three stories of the building are the Atrium Mall (shops, food court and the Illinois Artisans Gallery) and one of the city’s busiest Chicago Transit Authority stations.

The Thompson Center was one of the first major state facilities built with the Art in Architecture Program. One-half of one percent of the facility’s construction costs was devoted to purchasing art created by Illinois artists. As a result, the Thompson Center is one of the largest repositories of contemporary Illinois art. The centerpiece object is the “Monument with Standing Beast” sculpture by Jean Debuffet in the building’s plaza.

The James R. Thompson Center, including the adjacent CTA station, is accessible to people with disabilities.

Meetings with Lt. Governor Quinn

To arrange a meeting with Lt. Governor Quinn, please contact his scheduler at 312-814-5220. Lt. Governor Quinn's offices are accessible to people with disabilities. Lt. Governor Quinn's offices are connected with video-conferencing capabilities. The Chicago office is also equipped with a high-speed wireless network.

Chicago Office Security

You will need to show a government issued photo id at the security desk.