Maine North High School, Former high school in Des Plaines, Illinois
Maine North High School is a large brutalist building with three academic wings and a gymnasium located at 9511 Harrison Street in Des Plaines. The structure features exposed concrete, geometric forms, and a functional interior layout typical of public buildings from the 1970s.
The school opened in 1970 and served students from Maine Township until its closure in 1981. The state later repurposed the building for its own operations, transforming it into a government facility.
The building now houses the Illinois State Police and drew attention from filmmaker John Hughes, who used it extensively for scenes in The Breakfast Club. The structure's stark interior corridors and large gymnasium appealed to the director's vision for the film.
You can view the exterior and walk around the property to see filming locations from the movie. Interior access is not available to the public since the building now operates as a state facility.
The gymnasium was transformed into a custom-built library set during the 1984 filming of a famous teen movie. This temporary construction created an entirely different interior space that became central to the film's story.
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