The Skyscraper that Almost Collapsed

What was the Citicorp tower known for upon its completion in Manhattan?

• Being the tallest building in the world

• Being the seventh-tallest building in the world

• Having the most floors in the world

• Having the most advanced elevator system in the world

Who was the structural consultant for the Citicorp tower?

• Hugh Stubbins, Jr.

• William J. LeMessurier

• The engineering student from New Jersey

• A professor from Cambridge, Massachusetts

What did the engineering student question about the Citicorp tower?

• The color of the building

• The height of the building

• The placement of the columns

• The material used for the windows

What was William J. LeMessurier's reaction to the student's question about the columns?

• He was offended and refused to answer

• He promised to call back and explain the issue

• He immediately corrected the student's misconception

• He ignored the student's question

How many stories high was the tower designed by Hugh Stubbins and Bill LeMessurier for Citicorp Center?

• 59 stories

• 50 stories

• 72 stories

• 60 stories

What unique feature did the designers include in the Citicorp Center's design to cantilever the building over St. Peter's Church?

• Columns at each corner of the building

• A central dome structure

• Stilts positioned at the center of each side

• A suspension system from adjacent buildings

What term is used to describe the winds that come from a diagonal and flow across two sides of a building at once?

• Gale-force winds

• Quartering winds

• Diagonal drafts

• Crosswinds

How many tiers of wind braces did LeMessurier's design for the tower include?

• Six tiers of six

• Six tiers of eight

• Eight tiers of six

• Eight tiers of eight

What was the only calculation required by New York City’s building code regarding the strength of the braces in tall buildings?

• Calculation against perpendicular winds

• Calculation against quartering winds

• Calculation against all types of winds

• Calculation against horizontal winds

What effect did a quartering wind have on the strain of the wind braces in LeMessurier's design?

• It reduced the strain by forty per cent

• It had no effect on the strain

• It increased the strain by forty per cent

• It doubled the strain