The American Skyscraper: Transforming Chicago and the Nation

FAIN: BH-50296-08

Chicago Architecture Foundation (Chicago, IL 60604-2505)
Jean Linsner (Project Director: March 2008 to June 2010)

Between 1885 and 1895, Chicago experienced a tall building boom as technological innovations such as the steel frame, elevators, and fireproof building materials made skyscrapers both physically possible and commercially feasible. Chicago's architects successfully brought together these new technologies to build higher than ever before, ushering in a new age of architectural innovation that transformed the way people interacted with their built environment. This new type of interaction illustrates how the urban landscape has shaped human experience through to the modern age.