Chicago’s Newest Towers Are Invisible to Wind

__Special Thanks__
+ Evan Montgomery — co-producer, filming, and editing

__Description__
Wind is a powerful force that shapes skyscraper design, accounting for 25% of the material in typical towers. This video explores how architects at Skidmore Owings & Merrill use advanced tools like wind tunnels to design wind-resistant buildings, focusing on 400 Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. Learn how the design team incorporated a pre-existing foundation, utilized wind studies, and drew inspiration from projects like Pearl River Tower to create sustainable, energy-efficient skyscrapers. Discover the future of tall buildings, where technology and thoughtful design harmonize to make cities more livable and resilient.

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__About the Channel__
Architecture with Stewart is a YouTube journey exploring architecture’s deep and enduring stories in all their bewildering glory. Weekly videos and occasional live events breakdown a wide range of topics related to the built environment in order to increase their general understanding and advocate their importance in shaping the world we inhabit.

__About Me__
Stewart Hicks is an architectural design educator that leads studios and lecture courses as an Associate Professor in the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He also serves as an Associate Dean in the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts and is the co-founder of the practice Design With Company. His work has earned awards such as the Architecture Record Design Vanguard Award or the Young Architect’s Forum Award and has been featured in exhibitions such as the Chicago Architecture Biennial and Design Miami, as well as at the V&A Museum and Tate Modern in London. His writings can be found in the co-authored book Misguided Tactics for Propriety Calibration, published with the Graham Foundation, as well as essays in MONU magazine, the AIA Journal Manifest, Log, bracket, and the guest-edited issue of MAS Context on the topic of character architecture.

__Contact__
FOLLOW me on instagram: @stewart_hicks & @designwithco

__Special Thanks__
Stock video and imagery provided by Getty Images, Storyblocks, and Shutterstock.
Music provided by Epidemic Sound

#architecture #urbandesign

[hauchyi]

I am a docent at the Chicago Architecture Center giving tours on the river. I just want to say that this channel has provided so many intriguing materials for my tour takers. Thank you so much!

[ItsAlleged]

7:52 I don't know that "number of planes hitting tower" is the most appropriate unit of measurement...

[error.]

Man, they really used every word possible other than saying they want turbulent flow

[hacked]

Curious of what sound preparation and mitigation that they go into...would suck to find out it is whistling 24/7 in the living quarters.

[johnoden]

The technical refinement of the towers, necessary to combat the devilish winds, have also led to greater aesthetic refinements. These two towers really add a pleasing new element to the Chicago skyline.

[TheRealLaughingGravy]

This was very interesting. One topic not really mentioned was what happens to the wind _after_ it passes over, alongside, or through big buildings? How will the building's presence affect other buildings in the area at ground level and at altitude? It seems designers need to consider not just how the wind affects their buildings, but how their buildings affect the wind.

[codydabest]

Maybe the airplanes pushing on towers analogy could've been rethought lol

[IsaacLavana]

Amazing explanation by Ryan here... Great way of showing how the building attempts to alleviate the wind pressure more and more as the design evolves 4:24 👍

[BS-vxdg]

Stewart, thank you for calling it the " _Sears_ Tower".

[matthewsallman]

This discussion was fascinating. My late uncle was the head of the wind tunnel at Purdue University. I remember visiting his lab and seeing the model of Chicago that they kept because they did tests of so many big buildings in the city. I don't know how much computer work they had back then (late 60s/early 70s) but I do remember huge banks of tubes of colored liquid that had calibrated scales for taking readings off all surfaces of the building being tested.

[GoodBaleadaMusic]

Tire tread. The facades of these buildings looks like the second iterations of tire tread. Where they staggered lines within each channel to eliminate road noise

[kenzirkel]

I love that room full of models of SOM buildings!

[rptbr]

This was absolutely fascinating. Such a great video and explainer!

[tigerphid]

Another great video, Stewart. Chicago continues to lead the architectural way as it has for 150 years. Louis Sullivan said that "form follows function". But I have theorized that form "allows, creates, generates, enables, drives, directs, defines and determines function." This video shows how that is true.

[natbarmore]

“You know the dimples on a golf ball? This is completely unlike that.”

[DVlicious]

14:41 wind tunnel testing in F1 actually began in the 1970's, not the 90's. The former is when cars sprouted wings all over and the concept of ground effect aerodynamics to suck the car into the road began.

[builted]

You could tell the whole time that these guys knew what they were doing, great descriptions the whole way

Also the dudes facial expression at 6:15💀Bro felt like he had to simplify his explanation for a toddler (which in his case, is what he *essentially did)

[MrBaskins]

thank you for letting these professionals explain their craft in such an unfiltered way

[fite--ever]

8:29 the what tower? I'm from Chicago and I haven't ever heard of a Willis tower.

[SQUAGLEAGLE]

7:48 I love your content man and I'm usually not one to go out of my way to comment on videos, but I have to say using Boeing 777s as the reference for how resistant these buildings are may not have been the best example to use. Reminds me of a certain date in September, could've been anything other than jets lol...another great video all around though