The Chicago Mercantile Exchange space sits at 20 South Wacker Drive, right in the heart of downtown. Here, electronic platforms and traditional trading floors come together, making this place one of the world’s most advanced financial trading centers.
It’s wild to think how this complex evolved. It started with simple agricultural trading floors and now, it hums with technology that handles millions of transactions every day.
CME Center’s trading floors look pretty futuristic. They serve both electronic and open outcry trading, each on dedicated floors for commodities, currencies, and interest rate products.
The CME Globex platform now handles about 75 percent of all trades. Most traders work from multi-monitor workstations with lightning-fast data connections.
Some open outcry trading pits are still in action, especially for specific products. Those octagonal pits let traders see and hear each other—hand signals fly around, but they also use modern tech to communicate.
The building relies on backup power and redundant networks, so operations keep running no matter what. Climate control keeps things comfortable for people and protects all that sensitive equipment.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange began as the Chicago Butter and Egg Board back in 1898. The exchange first operated on South Water Street, then moved around as trading grew.
In 1983, they opened the current headquarters at 20 South Wacker Drive. This move was all about supporting the rise of computer-based trading.
After merging with the Chicago Board of Trade, floor trading moved to the Board of Trade building on LaSalle and Jackson in 2008. Both historic exchanges finally shared one roof.
Over time, the space changed from a simple agricultural market to a sophisticated financial center. Now, these facilities support trading in everything from derivatives to weather contracts—definitely a far cry from butter and eggs.
The CME Center complex acts as the main hub for CME Group. It houses admin offices, trading tech, and market operations.
They’ve set up multiple data centers inside the building. These centers power the electronic trading platform that serves global markets.
Regulatory staff monitor all CME products from dedicated surveillance floors. Huge wall displays show real-time market data and trading volumes.
The complex also includes meeting rooms for member organizations and firms. Educational centers provide training for new and seasoned traders.
Connectivity is a big deal here. The building links directly by fiber to other financial centers and cloud platforms, keeping everything fast and connected.
The CME Center’s ground-level got a total makeover, and honestly, it needed it. The redesign tackled declining competitiveness and gave modern workers better urban spaces.
They focused on improving how people move through the building and added a striking glass façade along Wacker Drive. It’s hard to miss now.
By 2016, the CME Center was in trouble. Even with a prime location, the 2.5 million square foot property struggled to attract tenants.
The old 1987 design just didn’t cut it anymore. Granite walls and concrete everywhere—kind of bleak, especially for younger workers.
The building’s owners realized they had to revamp the interior architecture to stay competitive. They wanted to appeal to young talent who value authentic, comfortable environments.
Market research made it clear: modern tenants want livable urban amenities. The old lobby didn’t offer the community spaces people expect today.
So, the redevelopment aimed to completely transform the street presence and identity. The goal? Put the CME Center back on the map as a top office property in downtown Chicago.
Designers started by studying how people moved through the lobby. Thousands of users pass through daily, and the old layout made navigation a headache.
The original design split the twin towers with confusing, broken-up paths. Workers and visitors often got lost.
After analyzing circulation, the team saw that over 6,000 building occupants, plus tens of thousands of commuters, needed a better flow. They mapped natural walking routes—people’s “desire lines”—to guide the redesign.
Interior architecture improvements focused on creating smooth, dignified paths. Radiused corners now help guide people intuitively.
The new layout removes barriers between building areas. Now, moving from the street to your destination feels natural.
Along these walkways, pocket spaces provide spots to pause. These little urban living rooms give people options for how they use the space.
The biggest change? They pushed the Wacker Drive façade outward, taking over what used to be car parking for pedestrians.
A dramatic 24-foot glass curtain wall now marks the building’s street presence. The wavy glass lets natural light pour in, connecting inside and outside.
The gallery walkway turned a dark, recessed area into a lively destination at street level. It links the two towers and creates a unified experience.
Commercial interiors now use white solid-surface materials that stretch from inside walls to exterior ceilings. That single choice brings visual unity and stands up to heavy use.
The glass enclosure opens the ground floor to the public eye. Custom-curved glass panels required some pretty innovative measurement and fabrication.
Builders used full-size mock-ups to test everything before construction. The complex curves meant everyone—mechanical, lighting, flooring, glazing—had to coordinate closely.
The CME Center’s renovation brings in groundbreaking design techniques that blur the lines between indoors and outdoors. The project highlights how smart material choices and creative lighting boost the user experience.
What really stands out is the seamless connection between inside and outside. Architects pushed the Wacker Drive façade outward, creating a gallery walkway that brought life to a previously shadowed area.
The curving all-glass envelope follows how people naturally move. Radiused corners guide traffic, and those curves form comfortable gathering spots—almost like little urban living rooms.
Design elements that make this work:
The glass enclosure extends out toward South Wacker Drive, reclaiming old car space. The walkway now fills with flexible spots for work and relaxation. It all just feels more natural and welcoming.
White solid-surface material runs from interior walls to exterior ceilings. This creates a sense of continuity and keeps things looking sharp.
They chose Krion® solid surface from Porcelanosa Group for its durability. It handles the wear and tear from thousands of daily users and keeps looking good, even with Chicago weather.
Why this material works:
Articulated ceiling coves hide all the fixtures and mechanical stuff. This keeps the look clean and reduces distractions. The unified palette helps the ground floor feel like a public space, even though it’s private.
The lighting design actually won a Merit Award from Architect Magazine Light & Architecture Design Awards. Strategic lighting shows off the building’s curves and provides the right brightness for work.
Integrated lighting fits into the ceiling coves, so you don’t see the fixtures, but everything is evenly lit. The setup works for both focused work and casual gatherings.
Big glass windows bring in natural light, mixing with artificial light to create a dynamic vibe throughout the day. Chicago’s energy comes right into the lobby.
Lighting highlights:
This lighting approach reinforces the interior architecture concept of blending public and private spaces. Careful attention to brightness and light levels keeps things comfortable for everyone.
The CME Center’s transformation offers spaces where people can work, relax, and connect in a genuinely comfortable urban environment. The design really leans into wellness and belonging.
Urban living rooms line the curved glass walkways, giving people lots of choices for how they spend their day.
Work tables are there for focused tasks, and cozy seating areas make informal meetings or phone calls easy. The gallery walkway connects the twin towers, so the whole place feels more unified.
People move naturally through the space, guided by those radiused corners. There’s a spot for every need, whether it’s quiet work or group chats.
Each area offers different seating setups. Some are built for solo work, others for conversations. With so many options, the space rarely feels crowded.
The project creates place varieties that give agency to users. People can decide how to use each spot instead of being forced into a specific activity.
White solid-surface materials stretch from inside to outside, tying everything together visually. The consistent design helps everyone feel like the ground floor belongs to them.
Younger workers want more than just a desk—they want authentic places for both work and socializing. The living rooms fill that gap.
Excellence in interiors shows up in the details. Lighting and acoustics get a lot of attention. Ceiling coves hide mechanical systems, making the space visually calm for focus or relaxation.
The design puts mental health and wellness front and center. Comfortable seating and plenty of daylight help reduce stress.
Pocket spaces along the glass provide semi-private nooks. You can step away from the crowd but still feel connected to the main flow. These spots are perfect for quick breaks or private calls.
The spaces and places tie into broader wellness goals. Research shows comfort at work boosts productivity and satisfaction. The living rooms give people more control over their environment.
Temperature and air quality get special attention. The glass design brings in lots of light but keeps the inside comfortable. Sound management keeps noise from spilling into quiet zones.
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange Center has picked up some impressive awards from major architectural organizations. Its innovative design and modernization efforts have earned recognition for both interior architecture and facade upgrades.
The CME Center snagged the Architizer A+ Award for Commercial Interiors – Large, winning over the jury. That award shines a spotlight on some of the best architecture projects around the world.
AIA Chicago also gave the building a Citation of Merit in Interior Architecture. They loved how the team managed to totally transform a lobby that people had used for four decades straight.
Architect Magazine handed the project a Merit Award in their Light & Architecture Design Awards for Interior Design. They focused on the building’s new lighting and the improvements to the space.
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) gave the CME Center the Space Within 2023 Award of Excellence. This international honor highlights creative interior spaces inside tall buildings.
AN Best of Design gave an Honorable Mention in the Facades category to the CME Center. They were especially impressed by the dramatic 7.3-meter-high curved glass wall, finished in May 2020.
The same group awarded another Honorable Mention for Interior Design. That one recognized the complete overhaul of the ground level experience.
AZ Awards picked the Chicago Mercantile Exchange as a 2021 Finalist. They noticed the innovative facade work and the total interior redesign that brought new life to the 1987 building.
The CME Center’s renovation shows what happens when you pick materials thoughtfully and use smart design strategies. The team managed to extend the building’s life and cut down on environmental impact.
They put durability and adaptability front and center to keep up with changing workplace needs.
The renovation team chose materials that keep long-term maintenance to a minimum. Those 24-foot curved glass panels flood the place with natural light and help save energy on lighting.
Curved white solid-surface interiors stand up to wear and stains. These surfaces stay looking good with less effort than older finishes.
Key Material Benefits:
The design team focused on materials that hold up well over time. That choice means less disruption for tenants and lower operating costs as the years go by.
CME Group keeps an eye on climate and sustainability risks as part of their bigger strategy. They look at how building materials will affect maintenance and management down the road.
The renovation turned a 40-year-old office tower into something that attracts today’s tenants. Instead of building from scratch, the team made the old building useful again.
Flexible spaces let the building adapt as work habits change. The connected ground floor acts as a sort of shared urban living room. That setup makes it easy to change things up as tenants’ needs shift.
Adaptability Features:
The design team paid extra attention to post-pandemic needs. They wanted interiors that feel comfortable and real—qualities younger workers seem to care about.
By renovating instead of tearing down, the team kept 2.4 million square feet of office space in play for decades.
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange Center renovation leaned heavily on digital tools and testing to pull off its tricky curved design. These methods kept construction precise and quality high from start to finish.
The team used 3D modeling software as the backbone of the construction process. Before building anything, they tested how parts would fit together virtually.
Laser scanning captured exact measurements for every panel. Workers then plugged these numbers into the 3D model to double-check everything lined up.
This digital workflow caught problems early. The team could spot misalignments before anyone installed a single panel. Quality assurance and quality control (QAQC) got a boost from this virtual testing process.
Those wavy glass panels needed extra care. The team even invented new ways to measure the complex curves. Getting that right was crucial for the building’s signature look.
The crew built full-size mock-ups off-site to try out real construction challenges. These practice runs let them find and fix issues before the real work started.
Different trades—mechanical, lighting, flooring, glazing—all had to coordinate on these test sections. The mock-ups showed exactly how everything would fit together.
They came up with new building methods during this phase. For example, workers figured out how to make the ceiling panels stronger and how to shape the curved welcome desk.
Doing all this prep work saved time and money later. By working out the kinks ahead of time, the team made sure the ambitious curved design actually worked.
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange keeps strong ties—both physical and digital—to Chicago’s central business district. These connections support classic financial operations and the modern trading tech that links the Loop.
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange sits right in Chicago’s downtown transit web. Several CTA train lines drop you into the Loop’s financial district, where CME runs its show.
The Red Line and Blue Line link CME to both airports. You can get from O’Hare to downtown on the Blue Line in about 45 minutes. Midway connects via the Orange Line, though you’ll need to transfer.
CME’s main operations benefit from Chicago’s grid street system. LaSalle Street acts as the main drag for financial firms in the Loop. Around South Wacker Drive, you’ll find more CME facilities.
Bus routes fill in the gaps, running often along big streets. The #151 Sheridan and #6 Jackson Park Express give traders and staff even more ways to reach CME.
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange operates right by some of Chicago’s financial icons. The Chicago Board of Trade Building is just a short walk away, making this area a real trading hub.
Willis Tower stands out as a landmark near CME. Its size helps visitors and staff get their bearings as they head to CME offices. Union Station isn’t far, connecting the suburbs to the financial core.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is a neighbor, too. That makes it easy for financial pros and regulators to stay in touch.
Grant Park lines the east side of the district. The park gives everyone a bit of green space—pretty important when you spend your days in a dense urban jungle.
The CME Center hosts over 6,000 people every day, plus thousands more commuters passing through downtown Chicago. Its location connects Loop pedestrians and delivers the amenities companies need to attract younger talent.
The CME Center deals with huge daily foot traffic in its twin 40-story towers, joined by a trading floor podium. More than 6,000 people work there each day. Even more commuters use the walkways and public spaces as they move through the Loop.
The building takes up an entire city block. Its spot on South Wacker Drive makes it a key path for pedestrians. Morning rush hour patterns shaped how the lobby was redesigned in 2016.
The new gallery walkway fixed a big circulation headache. Before, the Wacker Drive facade split up pedestrian routes. Now, the glass enclosure creates a continuous connection between the towers.
Urban living rooms line the walkway, offering spots for commuters to work, relax, or just hang out. White solid-surface materials tie together the inside and outside, holding up to the daily crowds.
Companies in the CME Center use the building’s perks to recruit young professionals who want authentic workplace environments. The lobby redo aimed right at this new wave of workers in Chicago’s office scene.
Mental health and wellness features are a big draw for younger folks. The community-focused spaces give people places for quiet time or collaboration. Work tables and comfy seating support all sorts of work styles.
The building owner says these upgrades had real business impact. Occupancy shot up from 81% to 96% within a year of finishing the lobby. Market rents climbed by 20% over the same time.
The privately-owned public realm turns the place into a destination—not just another office building. That helps tenant companies stand out to talent who want more than just a desk and a chair.
The CME Center’s lobby overhaul set a new bar for adaptive reuse in commercial real estate. The jump in occupancy—from 81% to 96%—shows how smart interior design can breathe new life into old office buildings.
The CME Center project lays out a clear playbook for commercial interior makeovers that put people first. The big transformation brought a 20% bump in market rents and drew in younger professionals looking for real, vibrant workspaces.
Key features that make this project stand out include those sweeping curved glass facades at street level and the white solid-surface materials that blend inside and out. The team got rid of old lobby barriers, opening up continuous paths where there used to be walls.
Urban living rooms now take the place of stiff corporate lobbies. These flexible pockets let people work or relax, meeting the growing demand for wellness-focused environments.
The full-scale mockups and 3D modeling developed here are now industry standards for tricky curved installations. Other big commercial projects have borrowed the construction methods for those 24-foot glass panels.
The CME Center renovation adds to Chicago’s reputation for smart adaptive reuse that balances history with modern needs. The project picked up the Design Excellence Award for Interiors from AIA Illinois, underlining its impact on the local architecture scene.
The design team paid close attention to how people move through the city. The new gallery walkway along South Wacker Drive turned an overlooked space into a lively street-level connection.
Other commercial interiors in Chicago now echo the CME Center’s focus on openness and accessibility. The project shows how private buildings can add to public life with thoughtful design.
This 2.5 million square foot repositioning has nudged other Loop building owners to try similar upgrades, especially when they want to stay competitive without doing a full teardown.
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange Center renovation brought together top architectural firms and professional organizations. Major industry groups—including AIA Chicago, AIA Illinois, and CTBUH—gave the project key recognition.
Krueck Sexton Partners led the architectural work for the CME Center lobby transformation. They’re a Chicago-based firm that focuses on commercial and institutional projects.
The design team worked closely with Roschmann Group, who handled the building envelope. Roschmann brought vital expertise for the complex curved glass facade.
This partnership proved essential for the project’s striking 7.3-meter-high curvilinear heat-strengthened glass wall.
Thornton Tomasetti managed the engineering aspects of the renovation. Their structural team supported the bold facade modifications and helped push the Wacker Drive entrance outward.
The project demanded a lot of coordination across different trades. Teams tackled mechanical systems, lighting, flooring, and the specialized glazing.
They built full-size mock-ups so everyone could test installation methods before launching into construction. Virtual modeling and 3D scanning helped confirm panel geometry and spot any tricky construction issues.
AIA Chicago gave the project an Interior Architecture Citation of Merit. That award really highlighted the transformation of a 40-year-old commercial lobby.
AIA Illinois honored the renovation with a Design Excellence Award for Excellence in Interiors. State-level recognition like that emphasized the project’s impact on urban design and workplace environments.
CTBUH (Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat) chose the project for their Space Within Award of Excellence. This international nod focused on the interior transformation within the high-rise.
These professional organizations validated the team’s approach in creating urban living rooms and community spaces.
The awards recognized how the renovation met modern workplace needs and kept the 2.5 million square foot property commercially viable.
Traders and visitors tend to have plenty of questions about getting into the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, how trading works, and which commodities are available. The exchange runs from its Chicago headquarters and has specific rules for public access and tours.
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange offers futures and options for several asset classes. You’ll find agricultural products like corn, soybeans, wheat, cattle, and pork bellies.
Energy commodities include crude oil, natural gas, and heating oil contracts. Metals trading brings in gold, silver, copper, and platinum futures.
Financial instruments cover currency futures for major global currencies. They also trade interest rate products and stock index futures.
The Chicago trading floor shut down temporarily during the coronavirus pandemic to keep crowds down. Now, most trading happens electronically through the CME Globex platform.
About 75 percent of futures and options trading takes place electronically instead of on the physical floor. If you want to observe trading, you’ll need to contact CME Group for the latest on floor access policies.
CME Group bought the Chicago Mercantile Exchange back in July 2007, along with the Chicago Board of Trade. Now, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange operates as part of the bigger CME Group umbrella.
CME Group includes four major exchanges: CME, NYMEX, COMEX, and CBOT. This setup makes CME Group one of the world’s largest exchange operators.
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange keeps its own identity while benefiting from CME Group’s broader resources and tech platforms.
Public tours depend on current operational policies and health guidelines. In the past, the exchange offered educational tours for groups and individuals interested in learning about commodities trading.
If you’re interested, you should reach out to CME Group’s visitor services department. Tour schedules can change based on trading activity and building security.
Educational institutions and trading organizations often set up group visits by scheduling in advance with exchange staff.
Trading hours depend on the commodity and contract type on the CME Globex electronic platform. Most contracts trade nearly 24 hours a day during the week.
The main weekly schedule runs from Sunday evening to Friday afternoon. Some products open and close at different times, depending on global market needs.
Electronic trading lets market participants access CME products outside traditional business hours. When it’s open, physical floor trading usually follows standard Chicago business hours.
You’ll find the Chicago Mercantile Exchange at 30 South Wacker Drive, right in Chicago, Illinois. The place is known as the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Center.
The complex has two towers, both finished back in 1987. Each tower stands 40 floors tall, which puts them pretty high up among Chicago’s office buildings.
Fujikawa Johnson designed these towers. They’re actually the 87th tallest buildings in the city, which is kind of impressive if you think about it.
This spot sits close to Chicago’s financial district and all the main transportation routes. Most people just call it “The Merc” or use the street address when they talk about it.
