Last year seven finalists were chosen for the design of the future presidential library for Barack Obama. In December each one was asked to submit their formal proposals for the project so they could be considered. The designers have now been selected and were revealed in a recent announcement. The architects will be Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, a team from New York. They will take the lead on the project with help from IDEA.

The selection of two US firms is fantastic but somewhat surprising. There was a lot of speculation that David Adjaye would be selected, particularly with his beautiful design of the National Museum of African American History and Culture at the Smithsonian. The architect was also well regarded by the Obamas.

The firms selected have fantastic profiles in their own right though. Williams and Tsien have designed a number of amazing buildings including the Logan Center for the Arts and the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. The first of these is located in Chicago, the chosen destination for the new library. IDEA has also worked in the city in the past, particularly with their design of the Art Institute for the Modern Wing. They were also behind a number of buildings in Barack Obama’s home town.

The design of the latest presidential library has not yet been released. The construction stage is not set to begin until after Obama finishes his term as President. This means the estimated $500 million project won’t be finished until sometime into the term of Obama’s successor.

The new presidential library is one of the most eagerly awaited architectural projects in the world. A wide array of people are interested in the design and how the building will be laid out. At London based Coffey Architects we are equally excited and can’t wait to see what the US firms come up with. It will be interesting how they work together, particularly when chemistry is so important when it comes to designing with a team.