ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: The Chicago Stock Exchange, designed by Adler and Sullivan in 1893, was one of the most important skyscrapers of the Chicago School. As with virtually all skyscrapers of that period, it was built with a steel skeleton and clad with terra cotta panels. The separation of the two elements, skeleton and skin, raised the problem of how the building form and the architectural composition should relate to the structure. It also introduced new construction management problems and made the collaboration of architect and engineer essential. The analysis of the construction documents of the Stock Exchange and a computer simulation of the terra cotta assembly on the steel frame help us to understand better the skyscraper design and construction process, the collaboration between Louis Sullivan and the structural engineers involved in this project, and the influence of building technology on Louis Sullivan's design philosophy.
