© Marshall Gerometta/Emporis
High-rise buildings have their origins in Chicago at the end of the 19th century. In 1871, a fire destroyed the city centre at a time when Chicago was an up-and-coming trading metropolis. The technical achievements that paved the way for the construction of tall office blocks included reliable fire protection, sound foundations and properly functioning services, but perhaps most significantly, the development of steel-frame construction and the passenger lift.?