Former US President Barack Obama on Wednesday unveiled design plans for his Chicago presidential centre, which he hopes will serve as a training site for future generations of leaders.

The Obama Presidential Center will be built in the 500-acre (200-hectare) Jackson Park on Chicago's South Side. The park was first developed as the site of the 1893 World's Fair.

The development will feature three buildings - a museum, forum and library - forming a campus around a plaza. The museum, the tallest of the three structures, will include public areas, offices and classrooms in addition to exhibition space, the Obama Foundation said in a statement.