Page 46 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Chicago

44  CHIC A GO AREA B Y AREA

1 Willis Tower 1,600 people during the The 110-story tower
soars to 1,450 ft
peak period. More than 110 (442 m) – or 1,730 ft
233 S Wacker Dr. Map 3 B2.
Tel (312) 875-9696. q Quincy. concrete caissons anchored (527 m) if the higher
of the two antennas
Open Apr–Sep: 9am–10pm daily; in bedrock support the is included.
Oct–Mar: 10am–8pm daily; last adm tower’s 222,500 tons.
30 min before closing. & 7 0 Today, the tower contains
= h ∑ willistower.com; 3.5 million sq ft (0.3
theskydeck.com million sq m) of office The tower top sways
space and more than 6 inches (15 cm) in
strong wind.
In 2009 Sears Tower was 100 elevators. It also
renamed Willis Tower. It was contains approximately
the tallest building in the world 43,000 miles (69,000 km)
from the time of its construction of telephone cable, The glass-enclosed,
in 1973 until 1997 when the almost enough to 103rd-floor Skydeck,
Petronas Twin Towers were built encircle the Earth twice. and The Ledge, the
world’s third-highest
in Kuala Lumpur. In 2000 it The elevator to the observation deck,
regained its status as the world’s Skydeck travels at a provides views of the
tallest structure when one of its stomach-churning far shores of Lake
antennas was extended. The 1,600 ft (490 m) per Michigan and four
building held this record until minute. During summer, states on clear days.
early 2010 when Burj Khalifa in there are often lengthy
Dubai opened as the world’s lineups for the Skydeck
tallest building, with the highest and The Ledge, an The 16,000 bronze-
occupied floor in the world. observation deck that tinted windows are
Willis Tower remained the extends onto a glass- cleaned by six
automatic machines
tallest building in the western floored platform for eight times a year.
hemisphere until the 2013 thrilling views.
completion of New York’s One Diversions include a
World Trade Center. It remains a short movie and
significant landmark in Chicago. exhibits on Chicago. Black aluminum
The skyscraper was designed clads the framework,
by Bruce Graham, a partner at which is made from
76,000 tons of steel.
the Chicago architectural firm of 2 The
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, Rookery
with the assistance of chief
engineer Fazlur Khan. Construc- 209 S LaSalle St.
tion of the innovative building Map 3 C2. Tel (312) 553- Alexander Calder’s
took three years, employing 6100. q Quincy; mobile sculpture
Jackson (Brown Line). Universe (1974) is on
Open 8am–6pm Mon– display in the lobby.
Fri; 8am–2pm Sat.
Closed major
public hols. 7
When the Rookery
opened in 1888, it was
the tallest building in the
world. The 12-story building, innovation when artificial
designed by the influential lighting technology was in
firm Burnham and Root in its infancy.
the Richardsonian Romanesque Framing the main entrance
style (see p28), has a dark red is a monumental arch with
brick facade with terra-cotta geometric carvings, including
trim and a rough granite base. eponymous rooks. Inside is a
The building, now housing two-tiered court, remodeled in
offices, was constructed on 1907 by Frank Lloyd Wright,
a foundation of crisscrossing who covered the original iron
rails – necessitated by the clay columns and staircases with
soils unable to support the white marble, inlaid with gold
weight of the massive structure. leaf. The central staircase,
While its thick masonry walls framed with Wright’s signature
are load bearing, the iron urns, leads to a mezzanine
framing of the lower stories enclosed by a domed skylight.
The Willis Tower and Skydeck allows for the use of large A magnificent, cantilevered
on the Chicago River windows – a welcome cast-iron staircase leads from

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