John Hancock Center

Encyclopedia : J : JO : JOH : John Hancock Center

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Several buildings bear this name, all built by John Hancock Insurance and named after John Hancock. For the John Hancock Tower in Boston, Massachusetts, see John Hancock Tower.

The John Hancock Center at 875 N. Michigan Ave. in Chicago, Illinois is a one-hundred-story, 1,127-ft. (344 m)-tall skyscraper designed by structural engineer Fazlur Khan of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and, when completed in 1969, was the tallest building in the world outside New York City. It is the third-tallest skyscraper in Chicago and the fourth-tallest in the United States, after the Sears Tower, the Empire State Building and the Aon Center. The building is home to offices and restaurants, as well as more than 700 condominiums and contains the highest residences in the world. The first residential lease for the Hancock building was signed by Benjamin Gingiss, who lived in the building until his death.

The 95th floor has long been home to a fine restaurant, the latest incarnation being called "The Signature Room on the 95th Floor." While patrons dine, they can look out the windows overlooking Chicago and Lake Michigan. One of the best views of the city is from the restaurant's ladies' restroom. Oftentimes men are invited in to see the view. The Hancock Center's observation facilities compete with the Sears Tower's Skydeck across town. The Hancock Center is in a commercial district, while the Sears Tower is in the financial district. The Hancock Center 94th floor observation deck displays exhibits about the city of Chicago. Maps explain the view in each direction and a special meshed-in area allows the visitors to feel the winds 1,030 feet (314 m) above ground level. The 44th-floor skylobby features America's highest indoor swimming pool.

One of the most famous buildings of the structural expressionist style, the skyscraper's distinctive X-bracing exterior is actually a hint that the structure's skin is indeed part of its 'tubular system'. This idea is one of the forward-thinking concepts the building used to climb to record heights (the tubular system is essentially the spine that helps the building stand upright during wind and earthquake loads). This X-bracing allows for both higher performance from tall structures and the ability to open up the inside floorplan (and usable floor space) if the architect desires. Many features such as the skin has made the John Hancock Center an architectural icon.

The interior was remodeled in 1995, adding to the lobby travertine and textured limestone surfaces. The elliptical-shaped plaza outside the building serves as a public oasis with seasonal plantings and a 12-foot (3.7 m) waterfall. A band of white lights at the top of the building is visible all over Chicago at night and changes colors for different holidays.

The building is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers. It also has won various awards for its distinctive style, including the Distinguished Architects 25 Year Award from the American Institute of Architects in May of 1999.

The John Hancock Center was erected on the site of Cap Streeter's 19th century steamboat shanty.

On December 18, 1997, one of the building's more famous residents, comedian Chris Farley, died in his apartment of a drug overdose.

On March 9, 2002, a scaffold fell 43 stories after being torn loose by 60 mph (97 km/h) wind gusts. It crushed several cars, killing 3 people in 2 cars.

An annual stair climb race up the 94 floors from the Michigan Avenue level to the observation deck called Hustle up the Hancock is held on the last Sunday of February. The record time as of 2006 is 9 minutes 39 seconds.

The building was also the setting of the film Poltergeist III.

See also

• Chicago architecture
• List of buildings
• List of skyscrapers
• List of tallest buildings in Chicago
• List of tallest buildings in the United States
• World's tallest structures

External links

• [Web site of the "Hancock Observatory"]
• [Emporis listing]
• [Entry in greatbuildings.com]
• [Web site of the "Signature Room" restaurant]

 

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