No , you 're not looking at an idyllic scene from pre-Death Star Alderaan . This futuristic building is the plan for George Lucas ' $ 300-million art museum on Chicago 's lakefront . Beijing-based MAD Architects and Chicago firm Studio Gang have released artist renderings of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art that would n't look out of place in its namesake 's `` Star Wars '' franchise . The avant garde structure , set to open in 2018 , will have three levels of exhibition space topped by an observation deck with panoramic views of the city and Lake Michigan . Inspired by the works of Frank Lloyd Wright and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe ( both of whom designed buildings in Chicago ) , it 's meant to evoke a disc floating above the surrounding harbor . `` Its uninterrupted stone surfaces are as primitive as it is futuristic , evoking the great achievements of architectural history , '' MAD wrote on its website . `` More than a building , it is an urban vista for social interaction , bringing people closer to each other and to nature . '' The building was conceived by MAD founder Ma Yansong , who is best known for the curvy Absolute Towers -- nicknamed the Marilyn Monroe towers -- built just outside of Toronto , Canada . Studio Gang have designed the 17 acre plot 's landscape , and will design a bridge connecting the plot to nearby Northerly Island . VOA Associates , also from Chicago , will lead the building 's implementation . The Lucas Museum will showcase images that are used for storytelling , from comics and children 's books to digital art and film . The permanent collection will feature works from Lucas ' personal collection , which is estimated to be worth $ 600 million and includes Norman Rockwell paintings , Alberto Vargas pin-ups and , yes , original props from `` Star Wars . '' The museum will also host temporary exhibitions , lectures and educational programming . It joins a series of other Chicago institutions in the area , including the Alder Planetarium and Field Museum of Natural History . Is this the end of ambitious Chinese architecture ? Europe 's forgotten treasure chest : Inside Germany 's Green Vault . 'Time-slice ' photos capture landmarks from sunrise to sunset . The lost art of the American pin-up .
Architects have released the first images of George Lucas ' upcoming Lucas museum . Star Wars avant garde design is meant to evoke a disc floating on the harbor . The museum will house pieces from Chicago ' personal collection , including The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art 's props .