Skyscrapers — Past, Present and Future
The presentation will outline the history of the skyscraper: the invention of the elevator,
which made skyscrapers usable; the invention of the metal-framed structure, which made them economical;
the rapid increase in height from the 10-story Home Insurance Building in 1885 to the 102-story Empire State
Building in 1931; the stagnation in height for many years after 1931 even as structural materials and techniques
improved rapidly; the recent surge in super-tall buildings; and trends for the future. All of these developments
will be explored with a particular emphasis on the fundamental engineering principles driving the evolution of these structures.
The benefits, shortcomings and range of applicability of alternative high-rise structural systems will be discussed, along
with the way that these systems respond to changing functional and architectural demands.
This course will award 1.5 hours of continuing education.
The times will be 10:00 Pacific, 11:00 Mountain, 12:00 Central, and 1:00 Eastern
Approved in All 50 States
Shankar Nair Bio
R. Shankar Nair, a principal and senior vice president of Teng & Associates, Inc. in Chicago, received his Ph.D. from the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is licensed to practice engineering in 44 states. He has developed the structural designs of many major
bridges and buildings including the longest tied arch in the world and a 90-story, 1047-foot tall building now under construction in Chicago.
He is a former Chairman of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat and the winner of numerous awards. Dr. Nair was inducted into the
National Academy of Engineering in 2005 for his “contributions to the art and science of engineering through the design of innovative bridges
and building structures.”
| Cost: $250 per internet connection |
| Several people may attend for one connection fee. |
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| There will be a $5 fee for each continuing education certificate requested. |
