CHICAGO, IL — Stantec provided engineering services for the Obama Presidential Center, a 19.3-acre civic campus that celebrated its grand opening recently on Chicago’s South Side. Stantec’s scope focused on plumbing, fire protection, and fire alarm engineering, along with peer review and construction administration support for select mechanical and electrical systems.

Located in historic Jackson Park, the Obama Presidential Center offers a variety of public spaces on its campus, including:

• The Obama Presidential Center Museum with exhibits, unique artifacts, and hands-on interactions
• The Forum, a community and civic space with a restaurant, café, and retail shop
• Home Court, a hub for athletics and global leadership programs
• The Chicago Public Library branch at the Obama Presidential Center
• John Lewis Plaza, an outdoor space celebrating the spirit and legacy of Congressman John Lewis
• The Eleanor Roosevelt Fruit and Vegetable Garden with dozens of garden beds for local plants and native vegetables
• A playground for children of all ages and abilities
• The sprawling 58,000-square-foot Great Lawn

Stantec’s work spanned several buildings and site conditions, requiring close alignment with the project’s design and construction teams as the campus advanced.

The firm delivered plumbing, fire protection, and fire alarm engineering and supported peer review and construction administration for select mechanical and electrical systems. Those systems supported Chicago’s permitting and code requirements, which were more complex given the project’s campus-wide geothermal system paired with renewable energy to meet 100 percent of its heating and cooling needs — an uncommon approach at this scale in the Midwest. The campus is designed to support highly efficient systems that reduce overall energy demand.

“Much of Stantec’s work will never be visible to the people visiting the center, and that was our goal,” said Eric Lee, Principal at Stantec. “The plumbing and life-safety systems are designed to function quietly in the background, supporting water reuse, code compliance, and the daily activity of a busy public campus.”

The center reimagines stormwater not as waste, but as a resource. Innovative systems are designed to capture, treat, and reuse nearly all rainfall on site, reducing strain on Chicago’s overburdened sewer system and addressing longstanding flooding challenges in Jackson Park. This water strategy is expected to save more than 1 million gallons of potable water annually, reduce building water use by approximately 89 percent, and reduce irrigation demand by 75 percent.

The Obama Presidential Center is envisioned as a civic destination for exhibitions, community programs, education, and recreation — representing a continued investment in Chicago’s South Side.
Stantec is designing the proposed hotel development at 64th Street and Stony Island Avenue, near the Obama Presidential Center. The project is intended to help accommodate increased visitation and foster community and economic development in the area.

Photos courtesy of Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects I Partners