No city in the world has influenced the design and construction of modern buildings more than Chicago, and no material has made a greater contribution to the design and construction of those buildings than structural steel. The Chicago skyscraper was born out of the ashes of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. As Chicago was rebuilt, great architects and talented structural engineers worked together to develop a new concept in building construction. Rather than use thick masonry walls to support the weight of upper floors, they designed a skeleton frame to support the floors and “hang” the walls. The material that made that skeleton system possible: structural steel.
We've prepared two great tours highlighting Chicago's steel history. The PDF version, available at the button below, is useful if you'll be visiting Chicago in person. The virtual tour farther down on this page allows you to take in some of the sights of the city online. Enjoy!
PDF Version
We welcome your questions or comments. Send them to grubb@aisc.org.