WBEZ’s Curious City is a brilliant segment that answers listener’s questions about Chicago–if you want to know why steak and lemonade is a thing, or are curious about why certain street names are pronounced the way they are, they’ve got your back. Warning: the archive is addictive.
This week they cover the history of the John Hancock Tower (I know, 875 North Michigan is its official title, but come on). I was happy to throw in some thoughts about why you’d build a 100-story building a mile north of the Loop in the 1960s, how a hollow tube structure helped it become the most efficient tall building on the planet, and how one tall building can be better than two shorter ones. They also speak with Yasmin Khan, Fazlur’s daughter and also a structural engineer, about Khan’s career and his inspiring but far too short career with SOM. Her story about her father quietly lurking on north Michigan Avenue to hear passers-by talk about the Hancock is worth a listen on its own.
UPDATE: There’s a video version, too..
architecturefarm 