Skip to main content
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...

Garfield Park Conservatory Spring Flower Show

Garfield Park Conservatory •  Feb 12 – May 11 @ 10AM

The Garfield Park Conservatory’s Spring Flower Show returns!

Read more about Garfield Park Conservatory Spring Flower Show

Chicago Latino Film Festival

Apr 03 – Apr 14

The 41st annual Chicago Latino Film Festival represents the great diversity of themes and genres of Latino filmmaking from around the world.

Read more about Chicago Latino Film Festival

Dozin' with the Dinosaurs at the Field Museum

Apr 04

The lights dim as you explore the rituals of ancient Egyptian culture, guided by the light of your flashlight.

Read more about Dozin' with the Dinosaurs at the Field Museum

You might also be interested...

Chicago Architecture Biennial

Chicago

Read more about Chicago Architecture Biennial

Merchandise Mart

Chicago

Read more about Merchandise Mart

Frank Lloyd Wright's Frederick C. Robie House

Chicago

Recognized as an architectural masterpiece and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House is located in Hyde Park on the University of Chicago campus.

Read more about Frank Lloyd Wright's Frederick C. Robie House

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

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