The Obama Foundation revealed new details about Home Court, an athletic, programming, and events facility that will be part of the Obama Presidential Center. Located within the 19.3-acre campus in Chicago’s Jackson Park, Home Court will be the largest gathering space on campus and is designed to support health and wellness, community engagement, and a wide variety of events and programs.
© Obama Foundation
Home Court is planned as a 45,000-square-foot multipurpose athletic and events facility. The main gymnasium will include a regulation-sized NBA court with intersecting practice courts, flexible seating, and dedicated exercise and training areas equipped for fitness programming. The versatile layout is intended to host youth and adult sports programs, tournaments, large community gatherings, and formal banquets. A mezzanine level will provide additional seating and offer a more intimate viewing experience. An expansive east-facing glass façade—fritted to reduce bird collisions—will provide clear sightlines to the broader campus to the north.
“From the outset, President Obama knew he wanted our Home Court to be a place where people could come for fun, inspiration, and learning, the kind of community spaces we need in an inclusive democracy,” said Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation. “We intend for it to be an extraordinary resource to our community that will allow families to improve their health and wellness and participate in educational and career readiness programming, all in hopes of building a brighter, healthier future.”
© Obama Foundation
Moody Nolan, the largest African American–owned architecture firm in the United States, is serving as the design partner for the Elevate Design Build team. The selection of Elevate and Moody Nolan aligns with the Foundation’s commitment to inclusive leadership and decision-making for the Home Court project.
The design draws inspiration from two of President Obama’s passions—basketball and community building. The building’s sleek metal and glass exterior is conceived as a visual metaphor for a basketball net and the connections that bind a community.
Home Court’s design also supports the Foundation’s sustainability goals for the campus. A two-story lobby will welcome visitors and bring abundant natural light into the interior. Consistent with the campus-wide strategy to minimize fossil-fuel use, the facility will be primarily heated and cooled using geothermal energy.
© Obama Foundation
To shape programming, the Foundation is collaborating with local partners including the YMCA, XS Tennis, Project Swish, Southside Wolfpack, Girls in the Game, and After School Matters. These organizations are advising on programs that will complement existing youth services in the community. The Foundation also conducted focus groups with young people from Chicago’s South and West Sides and surveyed students in grades 3–12 so that youth perspectives inform the activities planned for the space.
Home Court is scheduled to open in 2025 and will be the first facility on the Obama Presidential Center campus to welcome the public.