William F. Baker

Structural & Civil Engineering, Partner
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Chicago & London

Engineering the World's Tallest: Burj Dubai
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Friday, March 20th, 2009
4:10 P.M.

Sinclair Laboratory Auditorium

Overview:

The Burj Dubai represents the state-of-the- art in tall building design. Once completed, it will be not only the world's tallest building, but the tallest man-made structure ever created. From the project's initial concept design through construction, the combination of several important technological innovations results in a building of unprecedented height. This lecture will describe some of the structural design methods, materials, and construction technique which enable the creation of a superstructure that is both efficient and robust.

WILLIAM F. BAKER, P.E., S.E.: William F. Baker is the Structural and Civil Engineering Partner for the Chicago and London offices of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Since joining the firm in 1981, Bill's scope of engineering projects extends from designing structural systems for supertall buildings, to smaller, specialized structures such as entry pavilions and gateways. He was elected partner in 1996.

Most recently, Bill developed the structural system for the Burj Dubai, the world's tallest building, to be completed in 2009. Other currently completed projects include the long span structure of the Virginia Beach Convention Center and the glass cable-net entrance pavilion of the General Motors Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan.

He is this year's recipient of the "The Fazlur Rahman Khan Medal" given by the CTBUH. The Fazlur Rahman Khan Medal recognizes an individual for his or her demonstrated excellence in design and/or research that has made a significant contribution to a discipline(s) for the design of tall buildings and the built urban environment. In addition to working at SOM, Bill is an adjunct thesis professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology College of Architecture and on the Specifications Committee of the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC). He frequently lectures on a variety of structural engineering topics within the U.S. and abroad.

Engineering the World's Tallest: Burj Dubai:

The Burj Dubai represents the state-of-the- art in tall building design. Once completed, it will be not only the world's tallest building, but the tallest man-made structure ever created. From the project's initial concept design through construction, the combination of several important technological innovations results in a building of unprecedented height. This lecture will describe some of the structural design methods, materials, and construction technique which enable the creation of a superstructure that is both efficient and robust.

The Fazlur R. Khan Distinguished Lecture Series has been initiated and organized by Dan M. Frangopol, the first holder of Lehigh's Fazlur Rahman Khan Endowed Chair of Structural Engineering and Architecture.