John Hancock Center

Both the John Hancock Center in Chicago and the John Hancock Tower in Boston have been designed with a very different approach to the modern skyscraper. The designers of these buildings, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and Henry Cobb, respectively, have approached the idea of the modern skyscraper in two completely different ways. The Hancock Center of Chicago handled the structural issues of this in a far more successful manner than that of Boston, which will be the main focus of this paper.

The John Hancock Center in Chicago is a 100-story building recognized around the world for its distinctive architecture, prestigious location and presence on Chicago's skyline. Designed by renowned architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, it has won numerous awards for its innovative and iconic style, including the Distinguished Architects 25-Year Award from the American Institute of Architects. The building's distinctive exterior cross-bracing eliminates the need for support beams, greatly increasing the amount of usable floor space. The interior incorporates rich travertine and marble surfaces with textured limestone. The elliptical-shaped outdoor plaza has become a favorite meeting spot for North Michigan Avenue office workers, shoppers and tourists.

The Hancock Center of Chicago is one of the most famous buildings of the structural expressionist style. Its 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 architectural techniques 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. The original features, such as the skin, have made the John Hancock Center an architectural icon. It was...