CME Center

CME CENTER

Krueck Sexton Partners

CME Center

PHOTOS
Kendall McCaugherty © Hall + Merrick Photographers (12)

STATUS
Built

BUDGETS
$50M - 100M

AREA
25,000 sqft - 100,000 sqft

YEAR
2021

LOCATION
Chicago, IL, United States

CATEGORY
Commercial › Office

CME Center

Invited to Re-envision a Legacy Building in Chicago's Loop for a New Generation of Tenants

Located in Chicago’s business district, the lobby renovation project reimagines an existing commercial lobby which has been in continuous use for the last 40 years.

As the world continues to evolve, the obsolete lobby typology needed a drastic repositioning to attract the next generation of users.

CME Center
CME Center

The CME Center lobby repositioning is a complete transformation of the ground level experience in response to the market’s need for liveable urban spaces which attract young talents, who seek authenticity and places of comfort for their work and community.

Transforming a Mega Tower Experience Through a Surgical Ground Plane Intervention

This lobby repositioning transformed the ground level experience of the office tower keeping 2,000,000 SF of office space commercially viable.

CME Center
CME Center

Situated on a full city block between two busy commuter walkways, the renovation created a continuous, interconnected space for the first time.

The lighting design, 24-foot curved glass panels, and curved white solid-surface interiors create a captivating and memorable street presence for the towers. 

The transparent curtains unify the inside and out creating a single urban living room.

CME Center
CME Center
CME Center

The entire lobby is enveloped by continuous solid surface arcs connecting the wall and ceiling in a modulated pattern.

Lighting and ventilation are integrated into this white solid surface form, creating a rhythm in the ceiling that establishes scale and structure that allows people to intuitively understand the paths.

CME Center
CME Center

The precise yet minimal pallet of material was designed so that the space becomes a stage that is activated by the users.

By converting the outdated lobby into a flexible urban living room, the building was able to retain its major tenants and maintain 95% occupancy during the pandemic market condition.

CME Center


CME Center
CME Center
CME Center
CME Center
CME Center
CME Center


CME Center