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Introduction

It is arguable as to which was the first skyscraper in the world, but it can be noted that the era of the skyscraper began in the mid 19th century in America. Some claim that the first skyscraper was the Jayne building in Philadelphia (1849-50); others claim that it was the Home-Insurance building in Chicago (1884). In the late 1800’s buildings, which were just seven floors tall, were referred to as skyscrapers, and later when other buildings were built taller these seven floors buildings were referred to as high-rises. It was later defined that tall buildings with a steel structural framework could be called skyscrapers, however as the current definition stands, “A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, usually designed for office and commercial use.” A skyscrapers design and layout was usually affected by several factors such as its location, municipal regulations, zoning, budget, light quality inside the building, client’s desires and aspirations, technological advancements, and the economy. In this paper we will look at some of the prominent 19th and 20th century skyscrapers of Chicago and New York City, the forerunners of the skyscraper race. Carol Willis stated, “Of primary importance were the economic and programmatic formulas for quality office space: these tended to standardize high rise design everywhere”

The race to build taller

New York and Chicago were the two major players that were in a race to build vertical. Building tall towers was a symbol of economic boom, scientific growth and financial stability. Chicago took the lead and kept it for a while with the 1451 ft Willis Tower until the new 1776 ft One World Trade Center took over recently. However historically these...

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...d to office spaces. Recent projects like the Trump Tower in Chicago and The Burj Khalifa in Dubai fall in the mix-use category, which caters to commercial, retail, residential, and hospitality sectors. In the end any building is designed and built to cater to the physical needs of its users, regardless of its program.

With available resources, it is easy to examine the evolution of skyscrapers over time. It is a significant mark in history that brings us where we are today. Today, certain principles in construction are merely taken for granted. These concepts in building methods and technology have become such a routine in construction that its easily forgotten where they come from. But it was this era in 18th and 19th centauries that built a foundation for these principles. And these philosophies will always form the basis of construction anywhere and in any era.