presidency, architects around the world grass.

One single question who wants to design the New Obama presidential center on the South side of Chicago?

Well, 140 firms applied, but only one got to the gig W T Tw is Jeffrey Blair sat down with the architects to discuss the creativity that would change the skyline on the South side.

>> He wanted to be a living place with lots of energy all of the interest that he had as a young man as a president rather than mausoleum.

He was a very interesting client, very knowledgeable client.

>> Tod Williams and Billie TN of Tw B Tas or the architect who won the bid for the Obama presidential center.

A process that took months to secure and included a one-on-one meeting with then President Obama in the Oval Office.

It was.

>> You know, certainly thrilling, but also.

slightly terrifying.

>> You know, though.

>> Bowl of apples you always see in pictures.

>> took an Apple and I kept it for a really, really long And you've taken.

that thing so no was a special app.

>> There would be plenty more apples where that came from because the architects landed the bid thanks to their campus designed that was neighborhood inclusive, a non-negotiable for the Obamas.

>> This is a bomb was very involved in emphasizing the importance of this being a place for families and for people to come and feel a sense of joy.

She was very much about the site and how it's going to be used by the people of Chicago.

>> This is a parent.

When you look at the campus from above the winding trails, lead you everywhere from a basketball court to a sledding hill to a library to the most prominent piece of the 19.3 acre campus.

The eight-story museum building.

>> So this does not look like any other presidential library right?

>> you and that was the intention.

>> The 225 Foot Museum with a shape inspired by 4 hands coming together, had several design changes over the years, including the facade, which was originally set to be marble.

But Chicago contractors knew that material wouldn't stand up to our extreme seasonal weather changes.

>> They're saying no way.

Are we gonna put our names to a building that's made out of marble.

>> So Williams and pivoted to granite specifically tapestry granite from New Hampshire with its marble like swirls.

>> was very intriguing to us and fact that it changes so much so when it rains comes very dark and moody, but then it dries out very quickly and become sort of a little bit more pink.

>> The striking exterior has come under some harsh criticism being called cold for boating, even monolithic.

But the architect to explain that the form follows function.

>> judge people, but what they look like and we need to understand we have to go deeper to get to the real person.

So that's the way we are.

I can actually quite happy that we're not trying to present the whole person on the outside.

>> The museum exhibits required windowless rooms.

>> Because of the artifacts and because lighting because the creation of a sense of drama.

So want bright so that's that was a sort of done deal.

>> Up top the building is wrapped in 5 foot letters from Barack Obama's.

You are America's speech which marked the 50th anniversary of the march from Selma to Montgomery.

And that's where the windowless exterior gives way to light.

Up here in the Nelson Mandela Sky Room on the 8th floor.

You look through the words of Barack Obama and a view of Chicago.

That's not normally celebrated instead of the skyscrapers downtown, you see a sweeping vista of the West side and also the Southside Place.

Michelle and Barack Obama call home.

The architects intended the words to be read only in fragments from below.

>> to some extent, we realize that.

The creation of the top of the building often a perfectly discernible to people who are in the land blow.

So we realized it needed to.

at the top.

>> Presidential center CEO Valerie Jarrett says that looking through the words from the top, almost like being inside the mind of President Obama who called the speech one of his most meaningful mock as it quote, Best captures what America should be more.

The court sentiment.

Williams and Hope their new campus will foster for the future.

>> think the best of this building to come to come and it's going to come.

We be on own lives.

Maybe 200 years