Ingots & Qubits: South Works' Quantum Leap
IBM Quantum System One at Cleveland Clinic (Courtesy: Cleveland Clinic)
The building blocks of today’s computers are binary switches, called transistors. When connected, computing power increases proportional to the number of transistors (1). That’s why the iPhone, with 19 billion transistors is so smart.
But what if computing no longer relied on transistors and their binary, on-or-off state? Enter the qubit. Instead of 1 or 0, it's both 1 and 0. Instead of a proportional increase of computing power, it's an exponential increase. In other words, if twenty transistors are twenty times better than one, twenty qubits are one million times more powerful than one (2).
For this reason, quantum computing will change everything. It will ignite a future of innovation and discovery that is almost impossible to imagine. And, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker wants to lead the revolution.
That’s why the governor has been talking boldly about the future of quantum research and placing Illinois at the center of its emergence. “The future of quantum is here, and it’s in Illinois,” Pritzker said. “With the support of our federal partners, Illinois’ quantum campus will generate the sort of competitive research that has driven our most important American innovations, all while injecting billions of dollars into our state’s economy and creating hundreds of local jobs” (3).
South Slip at South Works, 1917. Courtesy of the Southeast Chicago Historical Society
DARPA, the federal agency that played a significant role in the development of the internet, is ready to invest $140M and the state is providing matching funds (4). DARPA has partnered with PsiQuantum, a Silicon Valley leader in quantum research, to deliver big. Of two sites under consideration, the South Works site on Chicago’s South Side, once home to the sprawling U.S. Steel plant, has been announced as the future home of the campus.
As architects and designers, we applaud Pritzker and his quantum leap. Illinois is ready for a brave new future, and we can’t help but share a sketch of what might be, as fantastical as it is. We pose the question — Why stop at technological innovation when the investment in this site could be ground for radically rethinking how public space, livability, environmental remediation, and scientific progress might interact to spark even greater transformation for our city, our state, and our world?
And, so we imagine a 1,000 foot diameter mound, inspired by our region’s indigenous heritage of the ancient mounds in downstate Cahokia that dramatically and effortlessly rise from the earth. This mound conceals, protects, and insulates a vast hub of Quantum research, innovation, and invention. It features acoustic control, vibration isolation, and an earthen structure that naturally mitigates the extremes of Chicago’s climate. Water is pulled from the adjacent North Slip to support the cryogenically-cooled quantum computers that must maintain temperatures near absolute zero (-459 degrees Fahrenheit) to eliminate electrical resistance and maintain “quantum coherence.”
Atop the earthen mound is a fully public landscape with a mile long walking, running, and biking circuit. The Spiral Park is lush, green, and biodiverse with stunning views of downtown, the southside, and Lake Michigan. The circuit slowly spirals up the mound, a tightening radius in its centripetal rise. At irregular intervals, large and elliptical cuts are made into the mound, widening the path into plaza and vista, offering places to rest, gather, and glimpse the activity within. At the top, a winter garden floats 300 feet in the air, the perfect place to contemplate South Work’s industrial past and quantum future.
Surrounding the circular Research Hub is a whole community sparked by this significant technological investment. Like ripples in a pond, labs, research, and incubator space fan outward, providing space for start-ups and partners to reimagine the future. A welcome center, hotels and conference space invite you into the community, while retail, housing and amenities reach toward the Lake. Pocket parks, green allées, and “slow streets” enhance the pedestrian experience and provide connective tissue. The North Slip is lined with a boardwalk, restaurants, outdoor dining, and boat departures, ferrying visitors and residents to the University of Chicago, Bronzeville, McCormick, and Loop.
To the south, new bridges across the water slip and connect the new community to an expanded Steelworker’s Park and Visitor Center. The park is a place to see the artifacts of our industrial past and experience (or climb!) the massive concrete ore walls lining the site. To the north, a new park edges the waterfront, extending Chicago’s public lakefront with greenspace, a beach, and pier extending deep into the blue of Lake Michigan.
It’s a place of innovation and renewal. It’s the spark to ignite a technological revolution. This quantum leap brings jobs and opportunities, new housing, greenspace, and recreation to the South Side of Chicago. From brownfield to quantum-scape, the future is now.