Healthcare and Steel Construction:
Success at the Children’s Hospital of Chicago 

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On October 20th, 2009, the Associated Steel Erectors and the American Institute of Steel Construction hosted a breakfast presentation and project site tour of the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.

This project will be the tallest Children’s Hospital in the United States at 24 stories and over 1.25 million SF. The presentation focused on the challenges and successes that the engineer, contractor and erector experienced throughout the design and construction process and answered how building information modeling (BIM) and early project involvement by the contractor and specialty contractor provided the owner with a comprehensive building result.

The event highlighted the fact that this is one of the largest projects to use BIM from conception to construction and that every team member – whether designer or subcontractor – had to buy into the process and collaborative way of thinking.

This website contains valuable resources for both those individuals who were able to attend the event or who would like to learn more about the advantages steel construction offers a healthcare project. Visit the Multimedia page to check out photos of the event, download the speakers’ PowerPoint presentations, and watch the actual presentations that were video recorded during the event. Our six speakers included:

      • Todd Alwood of AISC welcoming attendees to the event and updating them on the launch of www.steelTools.org, Modern Steel Constructions’ Healthcare Issue, and thanking the event sponsors.
      • Lanny Flynn of Magnusson Klemencic Associates explains how the function requirements drove the design of the building through a series of major transfer trusses, a 42’-0" mechanical level in the center of the building, and cantilever patient levels.
      • Robert Gallo of Power Construction shares WHY this project was a success from the point of view of the contractor: constructability through communication.
      • Peter Rumpf of Mortenson Construction relates the role that BIM played in terms of collaboration between the structure and mechanical disciplines and having each involved early on the project.
      • David Ruby of Ruby Associates elaborates on the forgotten side of construction – the engineer of erection.
      • Ronald Goetze of Ruby Associates examines the difficulties in designing the staging and erection of the cantilever portion for the patient levels.

Finally, did you have a question that wasn’t answered at the presentation or tour? Now you have an opportunity to have them answered by a member of the project team! Visit the Question Forum to see what has been asked and to submit your own question!


Event Multimiedia - check out photos of the event, download the speakers’
PowerPoint presentations, and watch the actual presentations that were video recorded during the event.
Question Forum | Press Release

info_icon For additional information, please contact Todd Alwood at either Alwood@aisc.org or 312.371.0819.