April 21--Famous architect Helmut Jahn on Thursday said movie mogul George Lucas is unlikely to compromise on the design of his proposed museum because people who pony up millions of dollars to build memorials to themselves aren't prone to giving in.
"Generally, when people spend so much money to set themselves a memorial, right, then they want all or nothing -- right?" Jahn said. "They don't want to share."
The 76-year-old architect, praised for much of his work but also vilified in some quarters for his design of the Thompson Center that houses state government in downtown Chicago, made his comments at City Hall. The Plan Commission has just recommended approval of his plan to build a new 73-story residential tower on South Michigan Avenue -- dubbed "Big Jahn" by one approving speaker during the public comment portion of the meeting.
Afterward, Jahn was asked about Mayor Rahm Emanuel's plan to borrow $1.2 billion to tear down the above-ground portion of McCormick Place's Lakeside Center convention hall to make way for the proposed Lucas Museum of Narrative Arts. The "Star Wars" filmmaker would contribute $743 million, but taxpayers would cover the rest of the initial cost plus interest on the 40-year bonds that would be issued to finance it.
Before that idea was floated, Jahn had provided Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin with a sketch that showed the current roof of Lakeside Center being maintained as a trellis, with the Lucas Museum emerging through its top.
"You could actually make something much more interesting, to merge something from the past with something in the future," Jahn said Thursday. "You can remove a part of this roof and the museum can come out of it, and it's a little bit more difficult."
Jahn, however, doubted his idea would be acceptable to Lucas or Mellody Hobson, the high-profile Chicago businesswoman to whom Lucas is married.
"They don't want to share this with the past," Jahn said "But as we know from a lot of buildings throughout history, some ... museums -- from the Smithsonian or the museums in London, where the courtyard was -- were transformed into a wonderful room. Right? They are better than something which is standing on its own."
Jahn helped design what was originally known as McCormick Place East, which was completed in 1971 under Mayor Richard J. Daley. Although praised for its modern architecture, the behemoth of a building later was criticized for dividing the south and north sides of the lakefront, with former Mayor Richard M. Daley describing it as akin to the Berlin Wall.
Jahn also expressed doubt that Emanuel's plan would come to fruition.
