Willis Tower
Name of Building
Willis Tower
Town or City, Country where the building was originally established
Chicago, Illinois, Unites States of America.
Date the building was designed and/or first built
- 1970 Construction starts.
- 1971 Excavation of cite starts.
- 1972 steel frames start being implemented and put in place.
- 1973 Mechanical, Electrical, interior work, & windows are implemented.
- May 3, 1973 construction finished.
- Opened September 1973 to the public.
- 1971 Excavation of cite starts.
- 1972 steel frames start being implemented and put in place.
- 1973 Mechanical, Electrical, interior work, & windows are implemented.
- May 3, 1973 construction finished.
- Opened September 1973 to the public.
Name of Architect, Builder, or Primary Patron Responsible
- Bruce Graham (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill)
- Structural engineer Fazlur Rahman Khan
- Structural engineer Fazlur Rahman Khan
Culturally Specific Time Period
Post-Vietnam War era
Geo-Location
41.878956253446376, -87.63585053008111
Materials
- Steel.
-Concrete.
-Glass.
-Aluminum.
-Marble.
-Wood.
-Concrete.
-Glass.
-Aluminum.
-Marble.
-Wood.
Size and/or Scale of Building
- Massive super tall structure at 1450 ft.
- 110 floors with 45,000 sq ft average per floor.
- Top 25 tallest buildings in the world.
- 110 floors with 45,000 sq ft average per floor.
- Top 25 tallest buildings in the world.
Architectural Type
Commercial
Formal Style
- Modernist
Building Description
The Willis Tower is a 110-story skyscraper that displays a striking black aluminum and bronze-tinted glass facade. This combination creates a reflective matte finish that enhances its visual appeal. The building’s unique bundled tube structure provides structural support, maintaining its iconic shape. The tower’s design emphasizes its height and bold elegance. At different heights, three main rectangular structures flank the building that leads up to the top. A prominent white tower at the pinnacle elevates the building’s landscape.
Image source
Image 1, 2, 3, & 5: https://www.architecture.org/online-resources/buildings-of-chicago/willis-tower
Image 4: https://www.som.com/projects/the-ledge-at-skydeck-chicago/
Image 4: https://www.som.com/projects/the-ledge-at-skydeck-chicago/
Creative Commons or other copyright information
Image 1, 2, 3, & 5: Creative comments
Image 4: Creative comments
Image 4: Creative comments
Student First and Last Name
Kevin Ruiz
Bibliographic references for the item
- Chicago Architecture Center. “Willis Tower.” Buildings of Chicago, Chicago Architecture Center. https://www.architecture.org/online-resources/buildings-of-chicago/willis-tower.
- Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. “The Ledge at Skydeck Chicago.” Last modified 2009. https://www.som.com/projects/the-ledge-at-skydeck-chicago/.
- Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. “The Ledge at Skydeck Chicago.” Last modified 2009. https://www.som.com/projects/the-ledge-at-skydeck-chicago/.
Citation
- Bruce Graham (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill)
- Structural engineer Fazlur Rahman Khan, “Willis Tower,” World Architecture, accessed June 28, 2026, https://worldarchitecture.artinterp2.org/items/show/73.
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