John Hancock Center
The John Hancock Center at 875 N. Michigan Ave. in Chicago, Illinois is a one-hundred-story, 1,127-ft. (344 m)-tall skyscraper designed by structural engineer Fazlur Khan of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and, when completed in 1969, was the tallest building in the world outside New York City. It is the third-tallest skyscraper in Chicago and the fourth-tallest in the United States, after the Sears Tower, the Empire State Building and the Aon Center. The building is home to offices and restaurants, as well as about 700 condominiums and contains the highest residences in the world. The first residential lease for the Hancock building was signed by Benjamin Gingiss, who lived in the building until his death.
The 95th floor has long been home to a fine restaurant, the latest incarnation being called "The Signature Room on the 95th Floor." While patrons dine, they can look out the windows overlooking Chicago and Lake Michigan. The Hancock Center's observation facilities compete with the Sears Tower's Skydeck across town. The Hancock Center is in a commercial district, while the Sears Tower is in the financial district. The Hancock Center 94th floor observation deck displays exhibits about the city of Chicago. Maps explain the view in each direction and a special meshed-in area allows the visitors to feel the winds 1,030 feet (314 m) above ground level. The 44th-floor skylobby features America's highest indoor swimming pool.
Design
One of the most famous buildings of the structural expressionist style, the skyscraper's distinctive X-bracing exterior is actually a hint that the structure's skin is indeed part of its 'tubular system'. This idea is one of the forward-thinking concepts the building used to climb to record heights (the tubular system is essentially the spine that helps the building stand upright during wind and earthquake loads). This X-bracing allows for both higher performance from tall structures and the ability to open up the inside floorplan (and usable floor space) if the architect desires. A preponderance of original features, such as the skin, has made the John Hancock Center an architectural icon. It was pioneered by Bangladeshi-American structural civil engineer Fazlur Khan.
The interior was remodeled in 1995, adding to the lobby travertine and textured limestone surfaces. The elliptical-shaped plaza outside the building serves as a public oasis with seasonal plantings and a 12-foot (3.7 m) waterfall. A band of white lights at the top of the building is visible all over Chicago at night and changes colors for different holidays.
The building is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers. It also has won various awards for its distinctive style, including the Distinguished Architects 25 Year Award from the American Institute of Architects in May of 1999.
Facts
The John Hancock Center was erected on the site of Cap Streeter's 19th century steamboat shanty. The area is called Streeterville after him, and consists of landfill reclaimed from the lake.
On December 18, 1997, one of the building's more famous residents, comedian Chris Farley, died in his apartment of a drug overdose.
On March 9, 2002, a scaffold fell 43 stories after being torn loose by 60 mph (97 km/h) wind gusts. It crushed several cars, killing 3 people in 2 cars.
An annual stair climb race up the 94 floors from the Michigan Avenue level to the observation deck called Hustle up the Hancock is held on the last Sunday of February. The climb benefits the American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago. The record time as of 2006 is 9 minutes 39 seconds.
The building was also the setting of the film Poltergeist III.
If measured from height to pinnacle, the John Hancock Center is the third tallest tower in the world, behind the Sears Tower in Chicago, and the Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan.
X Braces
The construction was designed by the engineer Fazlur Kahn and architect Bruce Graham from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Fazlur Kahn devised the frame-tube system, which he also implemented in the Sears Tower.
This new construction method was made possible by new technologies, like more advanced software and new developments in steel. Thanks to the new construction method, it was possible for Kahn to design constructions which could resist the strong windforces more effectively by having the forces absorbed by all three dimensions of the building. The diagonals are connected to the exterior columns, making if possible for the forces to be carried over from the braces to the columns and John Hancock Centerback. The innovative construction also resulted in a 50% decrease of required steel compared to skyscrapers built with interior columns.
Multifunctional
Just like Marina City, the John Hancock Center is a multifunction building. It includes 48 stories of apartments (with a total of 711 apartments), 29 stories offices, shops, a hotel, a swimming pool, an ice rink, restaurant and on top of the 344 meters tall building radio and television facilities. On top it offers services like its own post office and a refuse collection. The apartments are located at the top of the tower. Some of them are so high that the inhabitants sometimes have to call the doorkeeper to ask what the weather's like down on the ground, as the apartments are sometimes above the clouds.
Criticism
At the beginning of the project, it was controversial mostly because of the location of this massive tower, near the much smaller and more gentle buildings on Michigan Avenue. After its completion, most of the criticism dwindled, but much like with the Sears Tower, the plaza at the entrance was considered very user- unfriendly, being afflicted by heavy gales and loud traffic noise from Michigan Avenue. It was redesigned in 1995 and now includes a 3,5 meters high fountain to muffle the noise and a recirculation of office and shopping traffic.
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