James R. Thompson Center

Originally named the State of Illinois Center when it opened in 1985, the James R. Thompson Center is the Chicago seat of the Illinois state government. Its design features a diagonal glass cylinder, which is fully framed in structural steel.

Helmut Jahn, the architect behind the Thompson Center's postmodern design, died May 8, 2021. Though the building was controversial when it was completed, it is credited for jumpstarting Jahn's fruitful career in architecture.