The 'Obamalisk' rises in Chicago

Former US President Barack Obama’s centre redefines the concept of a presidential library

- Sam Lubell

It is visible from almost anywhere on Chicago’s South Side, a 68m-tall chunky obelisk that some have nicknamed “the Obamalisk”.

The structure is the centrepiece of the most expensive presidential centre ever constructed and - like former American president Barack Obama, whose vision shaped it - it is setting off intense reactions.

The four buildings of the Obama Presidential Center are taking shape and the goal is to finish this ambitious project by next spring. Whether they will meet that deadline is not a sure thing. Nor is the success of this effort to redefine the concept of a presidential library, from a quiet archive to a bustling community anchor.

The plan has courted controversy since being announced a decade ago. Local groups protested and filed lawsuits over its potential impact both on their beloved Jackson Park, created by the designers of New York’s Central Park, and on what is already rampant gentrification in the area.

“I’m not interested in a mausoleum and I’m not really that interested in just a celebration of my presidency,” Mr Obama said in a Zoom interview.

“I’m more interested in how we can use this space to activate people and get them to feel inspired about making a difference in their own communities. To create a centre for community life in a place that has often been neglected.”

Privately funded, the centre is projected to cost about US$850 million (S$1.1 billion).