Willis Tower 
Image source: Flickr/arlexitus

Each country is rich in attractions, the United States, in this case, is no exception. One of the most significant symbols of America is the WILLIS TOWER skyscraper in Chicago.

The sixties of the last century are characterized by intensive construction of high-rise buildings in the United States. The developers of a Chicago business center decided to implement an interesting idea - to build a 5,000 sq. meters skyscraper. Construction was carried out for a little over two years. In 1973, the construction of the high-rise tower was completed.For the construction of a building of this magnitude, it was a record short time, but a huge number of workers were involved in the project (about 2,500 people!). In addition, construction financing was uninterrupted, which is also of great importance. The final figure for the cost of the skyscraper was $150 million.

Willis Tower - the main attraction of Chicago, Illinois

Design features:

For the construction of the tower, its authors (Bruce Graham and Fazlur Khan) chose steel supports, which were supposed to make the structure invulnerable to powerful Chicago hurricanes.

Up to the fiftieth floor, nine interconnected steel structures are used, then, up to the 66th floor, there are already seven similar structures, above, up to the 90th floor, there are five of them, and on the last floors, two steel ceilings are used. This reduction in the number of floors is conceived according to the unique design of the tower, tapering towards the top. The designers of the structure provided for the possibility of completing the structure upwards, if necessary. To strengthen the building, piles (of which there are only 114 units) were driven to a depth of 13 meters, into a rocky surface.

The skyscraper includes 110 floors, while its height reaches 443 meters.

The mass of the Willis Tower building is about two hundred and twenty-two and a half thousand tons. From the moment of construction and in the next 25 years of operation, the tower was considered the tallest not only in America, but also in the world. Today, Willis is one of the five tallest skyscrapers in the world, second in height only to the Shanghai Tower, the financial center in Shanghai, Taipei and the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

 

The cladding of the steel structure is made of black anodized aluminum, the windows of the building (there are about 16 thousand of them) are also decorated with dark glasses. In general, Willis Tower is an unusual majestic building that differs from other skyscrapers in color, in addition, it can be seen from afar, outside of Chicago.

Willis Tower Observation Deck

Looking West from Willis Tower Skydeck, Chicago, Illinois Image source: Ken Lund/Flickr

 

Chicagoans are proud that their city is home to the legendary skyscraper, the tallest in the country. Tourists who come to Chicago tend to visit the observation deck located on the 103rd floor of the building - it is called Skydeck. Every year there are about a million travelers from all over the world. Every day, on average, the tower is visited by about 25 thousand tourists. You can climb to the observation deck using two high-speed elevators, which can deliver passengers to the 103rd floor in one minute. The extraordinary views from Skydeck impress with their magnificence. After reconstruction, the site was supplemented with four balconies that protrude beyond the standard perimeter of the structure. Balconies (even the floor) are made of three-layer glass, so not all guests are ready to step on a transparent surface. But the daredevils who dared to stand on it, have the opportunity to experience incredible sensations. Each balcony can accommodate only a few visitors, ready to get adrenaline. And what unique photos you can take from the balcony!

In clear weather, a territory with a radius of at least 80 kilometer is visible from the site, so all the sights of the city are presented “at a glance”. From here you can see not only the state of Illinois, where Chicago is located, but also such states as Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin.

Using Willis Tower

The skyscraper houses offices and business centers. The building is equipped with 16 two-tier high-speed elevators that deliver passengers to their destination. Willis Tower plays a significant role in Chicago radio broadcasting. Heavy-duty antennas are installed on the roof of the building, which transmit signals to the entire multi-million metropolis. In addition, they are the first to take on lightning discharges during a thunderstorm. According to statistics, this happens, on average, twice a day.

Curious information

Skyscraper Willis Tower is very popular among fans of extreme sports, including climbers. Dan Goodwin was the first to conquer the skyscraper in 1981. Dressed in a Spiderman costume and using alpine gear, he climbed to the top of Willis Tower. In 1999, Alain Robert managed to overcome the height, and without using equipment.

Often, Willis Tower is used as a film set. It can be seen in such films as "Transformers" (part 3), "Life after people (documentary).

 

The area of ​​the tower can accommodate 57 football fields. To wash the windows and walls of a skyscraper, special washing stations are used, located on the roof of the building. The cleaning process is carried out once every one and a half months.

Conclusion

Among the attractions that are very popular among tourists, Willis Tower is in the lead. Tourists certainly want to get to the observation deck to enjoy the majestic views of the city and Lake Michigan. Since the USA is a country of skyscrapers, the Willis Tower is rightfully considered a symbol of the country.