Revealed: Barack Obama pushed to build 'eyesore' presidential center as big as possible... making architects 'uneasy'

By JAMES GORDON, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 00:05, 5 May 2026 | Updated: 00:23, 5 May 2026 Barack Obama personally pushed architects to scale up his sprawling Chicago presidential center beyond their original vision – pressing for something bolder, larger, and more sculptural. His demands came even as the architects tasked with bringing it to life admitted it left them feeling 'uneasy,' according to a new report. The revelation sheds new light on the controversial $850 million Obama Presidential Center, a hulking, granite-clad complex rising from Jackson Park that has already drawn fierce criticism from locals, architects, and political opponents alike. From the earliest design meetings, some held while Obama was still in the White House, the former president urged designers to 'up our ante,' according to architect Tod Williams.  The repeated push for scale and ambition, he acknowledged, came with tension. 'He was saying we should up our ante,' Williams said to The New Yorker, adding that the insistence on going bigger made him uneasy at times. 'Another time, he drew on one of my drawings, made a strong mark, which indicated that he didn't think I was being bold enough. Those little things sting. But they also moved everything forward,' Williams added. What began as a more understated campus concept soon evolved into something far more imposing: a 225-foot granite tower, nicknamed by critics as the 'Obamalisk,' dominating a 19-acre site in one of Chicago's most historic parklands. Obama himself challenged the architects to think beyond traditional civic design - at one point invoking modernist sculptor Constantin Brancusi as inspiration. Former President Barack Obama urged architects to make the presidential center bigger and bolder during early design meetings The project's cost has risen from an initial estimate of $300 million to about $850 million. Critics have slammed the construction as an eyesore in Chicago's skyline   Former U.S. President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama participate in a ceremonial groundbreaking at the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park in September 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. The reference initially baffled the design team. 'What the hell does he mean?' Williams recalled thinking. But the message became clear that this was not to be just a building but a statement and more a piece of art or a monument. 'That really cranked it up for us,' Williams said. 'Oh, my God, this is serious s***.' He wanted us to do something that we had not done before, and that is hard. He didn't let it rest.' Obama told the architects to experiment with different shapes and met several weeks later with 25 different designs. Williams acknowledged that the final design is 'very much a product of his vision as well as ours.'  That relentless push for scale has coincided with a dramatic escalation in both ambition and price. Originally pitched at around $300 million, the project's cost ballooned to $500 million, then $700 million, and now stands at roughly $850 million fueled by rising construction costs, expanded programming, and lavish design elements. Financial disclosures show tens of millions spent on exhibits and operations alone, while executive salaries at the foundation have also drawn scrutiny.  Valerie Jarrett, a longtime Obama confidante, earned $740,000 last year. Situated in the South Side of Chicago in Jackson Park, the property will serve as the headquarters of the Obama Foundation and will house a museum, library and education center dedicated to Barack and Michelle's eight years in the White House  Some locals have criticized developers for taking away their park (pictured in 2020 before construction) without any input from the community on the plans for new library Despite the soaring costs, fundraising has remained strong, surpassing $1 billion, according to the foundation. Critics have argued the scale of the project and the president's role in shaping it has contributed to a structure many now view as out of place. The center is located in Jackson Park, a landscape originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, and features a museum, library branch, playground, and even a man-made sledding hill. Staff say it is intended to serve as 'a physical manifestation' of the Obamas' philosophy. Inside, visitors will find a teaching kitchen, recording studios, and a 'Democracy in Action Lab,' alongside exhibits chronicling Obama's presidency and America's racial history. But outside, the reaction has been far less agreeable. Residents have described the towering structure in stark terms - 'a monstrosity,' a 'concrete tomb,' even a 'totalitarian command center.'  The exterior of the museum building has been labeled 'headache-inducing' and an 'eye-sore' for featuring text of a speech that is difficult to read  Others say it feels disconnected from the surrounding parkland and community. Construction of the Barack Obama Presidential Center was delayed by a long legal battle undertaken by residents who objected to the center being built in a city park The text is engraved across two sides of the building, meaning viewers looking at it from one angle find that it has mismatched run-over lines Concerns have also mounted over rising rents and displacement tied to the development. Local leaders have warned that large-scale investment risks pricing out the very residents the project claims to serve. 'We're going to see rents go higher and we're going to see families displaced,' one local official said previously, reflecting broader anxieties about gentrification on Chicago's South Side. The building's controversial aesthetics have only intensified scrutiny. An excerpt from Obama's 2015 Selma speech, etched across the exterior in massive lettering, has been widely criticized as difficult to read.  Some observers say the fragmented text resembles placeholder 'lorem ipsum' rather than a coherent inscription. Others have mocked the structure's stark, fortress-like appearance, comparing it to everything from a prison to a sci-fi set. An NBA-regulation basketball court includes emblems of Obama's slogans 'Yes we can' and 'Hope' The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago's Jackson Park is expected to open on June 19  Defenders argue the design reflects a bold attempt to redefine what a presidential center can be - less of an archive and more an immersive civic space. Michelle Obama has also been closely tied to the project's mission, particularly its emphasis on community engagement and youth programming.  After the 2013 killing of Chicago teenager Hadiya Pendleton, she famously said: 'Hadiya Pendleton was me, and I was her,' a sentiment reflected in the naming of spaces within the campus. The Obama Presidential Center is officially scheduled to open to the public on June 19 (Juneteenth). No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. 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