Published: May 5, 2026
Event date: May 5, 2026 (Eastern Time)
CHICAGO – Barack Obama’s Presidential Center continues to spark debate as the project begins selling souvenirs modeled after the building's silhouette, while architects reveal that Obama himself was the one pushing for the bold design.
According to the Obama Foundation’s online store, lapel pins shaped like the structure's blocky form are being sold for $30.
The product description states the item “represents the intersection of bold design and global leadership.”
The tower, standing approximately 225 feet tall in Chicago’s Jackson Park, has been compared by netizens to the “Death Star,” a Jenga tower, a prison, and various other controversial images since its groundbreaking.
Architects Billie Tsien and Tod Williams stated that Obama repeatedly requested the design to be “stronger” and “bolder.”
Williams revealed that the former President provided direct feedback on the drawings, wanting the building to be “seen as a work of art rather than just architecture.”
The project, valued at approximately $850 million, is expected to open this June after more than a decade of development and prolonged debate over its design and construction costs.
