▁in ▁ind oor ▁public ▁spaces ▁around ▁North western ’ s ▁Arts ▁Circle , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁in ▁a ▁sculpt ure ▁garden ▁designed ▁by ▁ren owned ▁Chicago ▁architect ▁John ▁V inci . ▁ ▁The ▁Block ▁emb ark ed ▁on ▁a ▁major ▁reconst ruction ▁project ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁and ▁re open ed ▁in ▁a ▁new ▁facility ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁with ▁a ▁design ▁by ▁Chicago ▁architect ural ▁firm ▁L oh an ▁Associ ates . ▁ ▁Design ed ▁by ▁acc laimed ▁Chicago ▁architect ▁D irk ▁L oh an ▁( the ▁grand son ▁of ▁Ludwig ▁M ies ▁van ▁der ▁Ro he ), ▁and ▁substantial ly ▁fund ed ▁by ▁a ▁gener ous ▁gift ▁from ▁business man , ▁lawyer , ▁and ▁phil anth rop ist ▁Paul ▁Le ff mann , ▁the ▁glass , ▁steel ▁and ▁lim estone ▁structure ▁triple d ▁the ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁facility . ▁The ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁expansion ▁triple d ▁the ▁museum ' s ▁gallery ▁size . ▁The ▁Block ▁Museum ▁is ▁now ▁home ▁to ▁three ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁the ▁Museum ▁launched ▁a ▁public ▁lo bb y ▁l oun ge ▁known ▁as ▁The ▁Block ▁Sp ot , ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁Wi - Fi , ▁se ating , ▁study ▁spaces ▁and ▁meeting ▁sp ots . ▁Block ▁Sp ot ▁was ▁created ▁with ▁James ▁Ge ier , ▁president ▁and ▁co - found er ▁of ▁Chicago ’ s ▁award - win ning ▁ 5 5 5 ▁International , ▁and ▁with ▁input ▁from ▁under grad u ates