History of Chicago

Skyscrapers

Keith Johnsen

Contents The Skyscraper and Chicago Grain Elevators Mies Van der Rohe Louis Sullivan The Sears Tower Modern-day Skyscrapers

The Skyscraper and Chicago

Chicago was incorporated in 1838 The first skyscraper was built in 1885 in Chicago,

the Home Insurance Building, it was 10 stories It used a new type of steel structuring that was unique to Chicago It had a safety elevator made byElisha Otis

Grain Elevators In the 19th-20th centuries grain elevators were the

tallest buildings around They were sometimes up to 100 feet tall They dominated the Chicago skyline for decades

Mies Van der Rohe Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe was head of the Institute of Technology briefly He designed the IBM Plaza as well as 860-880 Lake Shore Drive He inspired modern architecture and simplicity in architecture in Chicago with architects such as Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright

Louis Henri Sullivan “The Father of the Skyscraper” An extremely influential architect Built many seminal skyscrapers in Chicago,

including the Prudential and Auditorium buildings Known for his ornate stone work Many of his buildings still define our skyline

The Sears (Willis) Tower

Built in 1973 by Bruce Graham of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

The tallest building in the world until 1998 Second tallest building in America Still a modern marvel for its design and

construction (“Bundled tube structure)

Modern-Day Skyscrapers

Modern steel structures allow for larger buildings Although Chicago’s buildings are not the tallest,

Chicago is still the birthplace of the skyscraper Chicago structures provide the inspiration for

many modern-day goliaths

Works Cited Images courtesy of Google “History of the Skyscraper” by Francisco Mujica The Skyscraper Museum Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill (SOM) “Willis” Tower

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