为下一代重新构想芝加哥的汤普森中心
内容总结：
谷歌近日公布芝加哥汤普森中心改造项目的最新设计效果图，并宣布一系列社区合作计划。该项目旨在保留建筑历史底蕴的同时，将其打造为面向下一代芝加哥人的工作与社区中心。
据悉，谷歌于2000年在芝加哥设立办公室，目前当地员工已超过2000人。2022年，谷歌宣布收购詹姆斯·R·汤普森中心大楼。此次公布的设计方案由谷歌与建筑事务所A+I共同完成，重点改造建筑标志性的中庭空间：扩大17层中庭下方的中央开口，新建层叠式楼梯，并融入阶梯式座椅和零售业态。中庭与广场将汇聚优质餐饮、特色零售和季节性活动空间，为市民提供日常休闲与社交的新去处。
在公共艺术方面，艺术家桑福德·比格斯受邀为广场创作一座大型雕塑。这座名为《Vector》的30英尺高雕塑延续了其知名系列《Codex》的创作脉络，将传统绗缝图案重新诠释为动态的倾斜手风琴结构，并为公众提供互动与聚集空间。创作过程中，比格斯参考了伊利诺伊州博物馆和芝加哥历史博物馆收藏的19世纪绗缝作品，并融入与“地下铁道”历史相关的“翻滚方块”图案，将本地历史与现代工艺相融合。此外，谷歌还将在中庭展示更多芝加哥本地艺术家的作品。
社区合作方面，谷歌与本地非营利组织“After School Matters”合作，于今年秋季招募青少年参与为期10周的艺术与建筑项目，由学生创作的大型艺术装置将落户大楼中庭。同时，Google.org向“A Better Chicago”提供100万美元资助，支持其“Every Day Counts”计划，目标是在未来五年内将芝加哥长期缺勤率降低50%，帮助学生稳定就学。
谷歌表示，汤普森中心改造项目进展顺利，计划于2028年正式向谷歌员工、租户及公众开放。
中文翻译：
为下一代重新构想芝加哥汤普森中心
我们于2000年首次开设芝加哥办公室，此后，这座城市已发展成为科技中心——谷歌的办公室也已扩展至2000多名员工。2022年，我们宣布了收购詹姆斯·R·汤普森中心大楼的计划——在致敬其历史传承的同时，将其打造为下一代芝加哥人的工作与社区中心。
今天，我们分享了大楼高耸中庭的最新设计效果图，并宣布了新的社区合作项目。我们与After School Matters合作，委托学生为零售大厅设计一件艺术装置，同时支持A Better Chicago应对长期缺勤问题，帮助本地学生在学校茁壮成长。
更值得一提的是，艺术家桑福德·比格斯（Sanford Biggers）也被选中为广场创作一件大型雕塑，为这一市中心地标带来重要的公共艺术时刻。
设计：新汤普森中心中庭预览
汤普森中心一直以来都是芝加哥多元世界交汇之地——通勤者、游客和专业人士穿梭于同一空间。我们的新设计旨在打造一个充满灵感的空间，为卢普区提供独特的配套设施，包括：
- 宏伟的建筑改造：我们与Architecture Plus Information（A+I）共同构思，扩大了17层中庭下方的中央开口，建造了一座与阶梯式座椅和零售空间融为一体的层叠式楼梯。
- 激活的中庭与广场：中庭和广场的设计既服务于日常生活，也兼顾特殊时刻，汇集了精选优质餐饮、特色零售和季节性活动空间。汤普森中心为人们提供了一个自然而然的好去处——吃午餐、与同事小聚，或只是感受周围的氛围。
艺术：桑福德·比格斯的广场雕塑
桑福德·比格斯正在创作一件新雕塑，以致敬卢普区丰富的公共艺术历史。比格斯的雕塑将传统被褥图案重新诠释为极具动感的倾斜手风琴结构，为人们提供互动和聚会的空间。这件名为《Vector》的雕塑高30英尺，将是艺术家著名《Codex》系列的延续——在该系列中，比格斯探索了古董被褥中隐藏的含义和神圣几何。
为创作这件雕塑，比格斯与多家本地机构合作，将伊利诺伊州的历史融入釉面陶土砖图案中，包括伊利诺伊州立博物馆和芝加哥历史博物馆馆藏的19世纪历史被褥，以及“翻滚积木”图案——这一设计在历史上与“地下铁路”的信号的传递有关。
这件装置加深了比格斯与芝加哥的联系——他的艺术之旅于1999年在芝加哥艺术学院开始，延续至今。这将是他最重要的作品之一，将汤普森中心广场转变为本地历史与现代工艺的交汇之地。
除这件委托作品外，谷歌还将从中庭展示更多来自芝加哥本地艺术家的作品。
社区：新的资金支持与合作
我们正在扩展本地合作，在课堂内外支持下一代芝加哥人。
After School Matters
我们与本地非营利组织After School Matters合作，该组织今年迎来35周年庆，每年为近20,000名芝加哥青少年提供带薪课后和暑期机会。今年秋季，After School Matters将招募青少年参加一个为期10周的项目，聚焦艺术与建筑的交叉领域。受汤普森中心设计及周边建筑的启发，年轻艺术家们将在大楼中庭创作一件大型委托作品，将本地青年的声音融入该场所的创意传承之中。
A Better Chicago
为进一步支持芝加哥公立学校的学生，Google.org向A Better Chicago提供100万美元资金，支持“Every Day Counts”（每一天都重要）项目。这项新的全市性倡议旨在增强学生的归属感，并在未来五年内将芝加哥的长期缺勤率降低50%。我们的支持将帮助基层社区组织提供关键服务，确保学生获得所需的支持，保持参与、按时上学，并充分发挥他们的潜力。
未来：我们的下一步
我们对汤普森中心的愿景是打造一个日常灵感之源——汇聚世界级艺术、创新工作空间、直达CTA交通、激活的广场和标志性中庭——并以我们通过公共艺术和教育资助对芝加哥青年的持续投入为补充。
我们与团队正在改造项目上取得有力进展，计划于2028年正式向谷歌员工、租户和公众开放。
我们迫不及待地欢迎您走进来。
英文来源：
Reimagining Chicago’s Thompson Center for the next generation
We first opened our Chicago office in 2000, and since then, the city has grown into a tech hub — and Google’s offices have grown to over 2,000 employees. In 2022, we announced our intentions to buy the James R. Thompson Center building — honoring its legacy while transforming it into a center of work and community for the next generation of Chicagoans.
Today, we’re sharing new design renderings for the building’s soaring atrium, and announcing new community partnerships. We’re teaming up with After School Matters to commission a student-designed art piece for the retail concourse, and supporting A Better Chicago to combat chronic absenteeism and help local students thrive in school.
To top it off, artist Sanford Biggers has also been selected to create a major sculpture for the plaza, bringing a significant civic art moment to this central destination.
The design: A preview of the new Thompson Center atrium
The Thompson Center has always been a place where Chicago's many worlds collide — commuters, visitors, and professionals moving through the same space. Our new design aims to curate an inspiring space offering unique amenities for the Loop, including:
- A monumental architectural conversion: Conceptualized together with Architecture Plus Information (A+I), we expanded the central opening beneath the 17-story atrium, constructing a cascading staircase integrated with terraced seating and retail offerings.
- An activated atrium and plaza: Designed for the day-to-day as much as for special moments, the atrium and plaza brings a curated mix of quality food, distinctive retail, and space for seasonal events. The Thompson Center offers a natural place to grab lunch, catch up with colleagues, or simply take in the scene.
The art: A plaza sculpture by Sanford Biggers
Sanford Biggers is creating a new sculpture that honors the Loop’s rich history of public art. Biggers’ sculpture reimagines traditional quilt patterns as a hyper-dynamic, tilted accordion structure that offers spaces for interaction and gathering. Vector, the 30-foot tall sculpture, will be a continuation of the artist’s celebrated Codex series, in which Biggers explores the hidden meanings and sacred geometries found within antique quilts.
To create the sculpture, Biggers engaged with several local institutions to incorporate Illinois history into the glazed terracotta tile patterns, including historic 19th-century quilts from collections at the Illinois State Museum and Chicago History Museum, in addition to a Tumbling Block motif, a design historically associated with signalling along the Underground Railroad.
The installation deepens Biggers’ connection to Chicago, where his artistic journey began at the School of the Art Institute in 1999 and continues today. This will be one of his most significant works, transforming the Thompson Center plaza into an intersection of local history and modern craft.
In addition to this commission, Google will be sourcing more art for the atrium from artists with roots in Chicago.
The community: New funding and partnerships
We’re expanding our local partnerships to support the next generation of Chicagoans both inside and outside the classroom.
After School Matters
We are partnering with After School Matters, a local nonprofit celebrating its 35th anniversary that provides nearly 20,000 Chicago teens annually with paid after-school and summer opportunities. This fall, After School Matters will recruit teens for a 10-week program centered on the intersection of art and architecture. Inspired by the Thompson Center’s design and surrounding architecture, the young artists will create a large-scale commissioned piece within the building's atrium, embedding local youth voices into the site’s creative legacy.
A Better Chicago
To further support Chicago Public School students, Google.org is providing $1 million in funding to A Better Chicago in support of “Every Day Counts.” This new citywide initiative aims to strengthen student belonging and reduce chronic absenteeism in Chicago by 50% over the next five years. Our support will help community-based organizations on the ground provide vital services ensuring students have the support they need to stay engaged, attend school regularly, and reach their full potential.
The future: A look at our next steps
Our vision for the Thompson Center is a place for daily inspiration with world-class art, innovative workspaces, direct access to CTA, an activated plaza, and the iconic atrium — complemented by our ongoing investments in Chicago's youth through public art and educational grant support.
We’re making strong progress on the transformation with our team, and plan to officially open our doors to Googlers, tenants and the public in 2028.
We can't wait to welcome you inside.