A Feature Meant for Texture, Not Total Readability (Image Credits: Flickr)
Chicago – Construction on the Barack Obama Presidential Center advanced steadily toward its June 2026 opening, drawing attention to the tower’s prominent all-caps lettering that wraps around two sides.
A Feature Meant for Texture, Not Total Readability
Observers quickly noted that the inscription, drawn from a 2015 speech by former President Obama, proved nearly impossible to decipher from the ground.
Designer Michael Bierut of Pentagram posed a fundamental question early in the process: whether legibility should dominate the design.
Client discussions settled on a different priority. The text needed to evoke meaning without demanding full comprehension at a distance. Bierut explained that it should offer a “promise of meaning,” remain decipherable upon closer inspection, and convey correctness without spelling errors.
This approach positioned the lettering as integral architecture, not a mere sign. At night, lights would illuminate it from within, creating a beacon while serving as an interior viewing space.
From Word Clouds to Dignified Excerpt
Initial concepts by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects envisioned a perforated upper tower section as an abstract pattern.
Ideas like a word cloud surfaced but felt undignified for a presidential center. Planners shifted to a single, meaningful excerpt from Obama’s address marking the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery marches.
Bierut compared it to the Lincoln Memorial, where visitors absorb inscriptions variably – some reading fully, others catching phrases amid the grandeur.
The result integrates text into the structure, functioning as both aesthetic texture and subtle messaging.
Engineering Words That Bear Weight
Typesetting for the tower introduced unique challenges, as the letters doubled as load-bearing elements.
Britt Cobb, who led the Pentagram team with Bierut, described adjusting letter sizes and spacing while accounting for structural demands. A desired shift of mere inches sometimes clashed with engineering limits, prioritizing stability over ideal placement.
The font adapted Gotham, iconic from Obama’s campaigns, ensuring familiarity.
The selected passage from the Edmund Pettus Bridge speech weaves civil rights history with national aspiration: “You are America. Unconstrained by habit and convention. Unencumbered by what is, ready to seize what ought to be. For everywhere in this country, there are first steps to be taken, there is new ground to cover, there are more bridges to be crossed. America is not the project of any one person. The single most powerful word in our democracy is the word ‘We.’ ‘We the People.’ ‘We Shall Overcome.’ ‘Yes We Can.’ That word is owned by no one. It belongs to everyone. Oh, what a glorious task we are given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours.”
Mixed Reactions from Critics and Public
Not all feedback aligned with the designers’ vision. Chicago Sun-Times critic Lee Bey called it tough to read, likening it to placeholder “lorem ipsum” text.
On X, users quipped that only a drone could capture the full quote, blending design critique with historical nods.
Yet the intent persists: snippets like “Yes We Can” or “We the People” carry resonance even partially glimpsed, reinforcing themes of unity and progress.
The tower’s typography underscores a broader truth in architecture – form often serves symbolism over utility. As the center prepares to welcome visitors, will the text inspire reflection or frustration? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Key Takeaways
- The lettering prioritizes texture and promise of meaning over ground-level readability.
- Structural engineering shaped letter placement, blending design with load-bearing needs.
- Obama’s Selma speech excerpt delivers enduring phrases amid the tower’s scale.