Sears Tower

On May 3,1973 the Sears Tower was proclaimed the tallest building in the world. In 1996 the title was lost to the Petronas towers in Kuala Lumpur. The Sears Tower is approximately 22ft. shorter than the Petronas Towers.

Architects and Owners

•     Architect:
              Bruce Graham received his degree in architecture from the University of Pennsylvannia in 1948. He is considered one of America's leading designers of high-rise buildings. He was instrumental in applying "Miesian"(Mies van der Rohe) ideas to Chicago skyscrapers.


•     Architecture firm:

              Skidmore, Owings and Merill





•     Plan unveiled in 1970
•     Took six years to plan and build
•     Commissioned by Sears Roebuck & Co.
•     Controlled by a Canadian company since 1990






Construction and Materials

• Foundation: 2 million cubic feet of concrete
• Total weight: 222,500 tons
• Aluminum and concrete (mainly)
• Exterior plating of duranic aluminum
• 76,000 tons of steel
• Nine tubular columns(75x75 feet)






Statistics

• 1,454 ft. tall
• 110 floors
• 4.4 million square feet of commercial space
• 16,000 windows
• Located in Chicago, Illinois

  Fun Facts

• Highest observation deck in United States
• 102 elevators
• Longest elevator ride
• Elevator speed: 1,600 ft. per minute
• Cost to build: $150 million
• Lost height title in 1996
• Plan to add 22ft. antenna to regain the lead*