The Hancock Center was a very unique structure at its time of construction because it was the first example of Fazlur Khan’s “trussed tube” structural system.
The John Hancock Tower is one of the most iconic skyscrapers throughout North America, and is currently one of the 10 tallest buildings in the United States, standing at an imposing 1128 feet tall. The 100-story mixed use building was completed in 1969 and is situated along Michigan Ave., One of the largest streets in Chicago, Illinois (Khan, 1982). The tower was designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) architects, in association with engineer Fazlur Khan. The building features a distinctive steel framed structure that is exposed on the exterior, showcasing the X-bracing that allows the structure to resist strong lateral loads. The exterior facade consists of an anodized aluminum, glass curtain wall, with anodized aluminum clad steel columns, bracing, and beams; while the bottom floor is composed of concrete. This paper analyzes this well known building's facade; breaking it down into components in order to better understand standard skyscraper facade design.
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