Fazlur Rahman Khan

3 April 1929 – 27 March 1982

Fazlur Rahman Khan was a Bangladeshi-American structural engineer and architect who pioneered structural systems for skyscrapers, including the tubular design. He is regarded as the father of tubular designs for high-rise buildings and worked on landmark structures such as the Willis Tower (Sears Tower) and the John Hancock Center in Chicago.

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Life events

Born in Dhaka, British India
3 April 1929

Fazlur Rahman Khan was born in Dhaka, in present-day Bangladesh.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Graduated from Bengal Engineering College
1950

He earned his undergraduate degree in civil engineering in Calcutta.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Earned doctorates from the University of Illinois
1955

He received two master's degrees and a PhD in structural engineering after moving to the United States on a Fulbright scholarship.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Joined Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
1955

He began his long career at the architecture firm SOM in Chicago.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Developed the tubular structural system
1963

He pioneered the framed-tube structural concept that made very tall buildings more economical and efficient.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Completed the John Hancock Center
1969

The 100-story Chicago skyscraper used his trussed-tube design.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Completed the Sears Tower
1973

His bundled-tube system enabled the Sears (Willis) Tower, then the world's tallest building.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Died in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
27 March 1982

He died of a heart attack while traveling.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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