| Home Insurance Building | |
|---|---|
 Black-and-white photograph of the Home Insurance Building | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Office |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Coordinates | 41°52′47″N 87°37′55″W / 41.8796°N 87.6320°W |
| Construction started | 1884 |
| Completed | 1885 [1] |
| Demolished | 1931 |
| Height | |
| Roof | Originally 138 feet (42.1 meters) |
| Top floor | After addition of the final two floors – 180 feet (55 meters) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 10 (later 12) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | William Le Baron Jenney |
| References | |
| [2] | |
The Home Insurance Building was a skyscraper that stood in Chicago from 1885 to its demolition in 1931. Originally ten stories and 138 ft (42.1 m) tall, it was designed by William Le Baron Jenney in 1884 and completed the next year. Two floors were added in 1891, bringing its now finished height to 180 feet (54.9 meters). It was the first tall building to be supported both inside and outside by a fireproof structural steel frame, though it also included reinforced concrete. It is considered the world's first skyscraper.
- ^ Smith, Chrysti M. (2006). Verbivore's Feast: Second Course: More Word & Phrase Origins. Farcountry Press. p. 289. ISBN 9781560374022. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
The word skyscraper, in its architectural context, was first applied to the Home Insurance Building, completed in Chicago in 1885.
- ^ "Home Insurance Building". SkyscraperPage.