Fazlur Rahman Khan
Pioneer of tubular designs for high-rise buildings.
Fazlur Rahman Khan (3 April 1929 – 27 March 1982) was a Bangladeshi-American structural engineer and architect who reshaped how skyscrapers are built. He is widely regarded as the originator of the "tube" structural system for high-rises and was an early adopter of computer-aided design (CAD). Among his most famous projects are the Sears Tower (now Willis Tower), which held the title of world's tallest building from 1973 to 1998, and the 100-story John Hancock Center.
As a partner at the Chicago firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Khan did more than perhaps anyone else to spark a boom in skyscraper construction in the latter half of the 20th century. His innovative structural systems—such as the framed tube, trussed tube, and bundled tube—remain essential to modern tall-building design. He has been called the "Einstein of structural engineering" and the "Greatest Structural Engineer of the 20th Century." In his honor, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat created the Fazlur Khan Lifetime Achievement Medal as part of its CTBUH Skyscraper Awards.
Beyond skyscrapers, Khan designed other notable structures, including the Hajj airport terminal, the McMath–Pierce solar telescope, and several stadiums.
Khan was born on 3 April 1929 into a Bengali Muslim family in Dhaka, in what was then the Bengal Presidency (now Bangladesh). He grew up in the Khan Bari of Bhandarikandi in Madaripur, Faridpur District. His father, Khan Bahadur Abdur Rahman Khan, was a high school math teacher and textbook author who later became Director of Public Instruction in Bengal and, after retiring, served as the first principal of Jagannath College. His mother, Khadijah Khatun, was the daughter of Abdul Basit Chowdhury, the Zamindar of Dulai in Pabna, whose family traced its roots to a migrant from Samarkand in Turkestan. Khan's paternal uncle, Abdul Hakim Khan, was married to the daughter of Syed Abdul Jabbar, a zamindar from Comilla.
Khan attended Armanitola Government High School in Dhaka. He studied civil engineering at Bengal Engineering and Science University in Shibpur, Kolkata, India, and earned a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree from Ahsanullah Engineering College (now Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology). In 1952, he traveled to the United States on a Fulbright Scholarship and a government scholarship. At the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaig
- born
- 3 April 1929, Dhaka, Bengal Presidency (present-day Bangladesh)
- died
- 27 March 1982
- field
- Structural engineering, architecture
- nationality
- Bangladeshi-American
- known_for
- Tube structural systems for skyscrapers, design of Sears Tower and John Hancock Center
Lore & Background
Fazlur Rahman Khan was born to a Bengali Muslim family in Dhaka. His father was a mathematics teacher and textbook author who became Director of Public Instruction in Bengal and later first principal of Jagannath College. Khan attended Armanitola Government High School, studied civil engineering at Bengal Engineering and Science University, and earned a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from Ahsanullah Engineering College. He received a Fulbright Scholarship and a government scholarship to study in the United States, earning two master's degrees and a PhD in structural engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.
In 1955, Khan joined the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in Chicago, becoming a partner in 1966. He worked alongside architect Bruce Graham. His first building to employ the tube structure was the Chestnut De-Witt apartment building. He introduced design methods for efficient use of material, and his tube concept—using the exterior wall perimeter to simulate a thin-walled tube—revolutionized tall building design. Most buildings over 40 stories since the 1960s use a tube design derived from his principles.
Khan also designed the Hajj airport terminal, the McMath–Pierce solar telescope, and several stadium structures. He believed engineers needed a broader perspective on life, stating, 'The technical man must not be lost in his own technology; he must be able to appreciate life, and life is art, drama, music, and most importantly, people.' His personal papers are held by the Ryerson & Burnham Libraries at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Reader's Guide
Fazlur Rahman Khan's central innovation was the tube structural system for tall buildings, including framed tube, trussed tube, and bundled tube variants. This system uses all exterior wall perimeter structure to resist lateral forces such as wind and earthquakes, making buildings structurally stronger, more efficient, and economically viable. It reduced material requirements and environmental impact while enabling greater heights and interior space. Khan pioneered lightweight concrete for high-rises at a time when reinforced concrete was used mostly for low-rise construction. His designs considered pre-fabrication and repetition for quick construction with minimal errors. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat established the Fazlur Khan Lifetime Achievement Medal in his honor. More than any other 20th-century engineer, he made it possible for people to live and work in 'cities in the sky,' transforming skyscraper construction after a hiatus of over thirty years.
Did You Know?
- Khan's tube concept was inspired by the hollow bamboo that sprouted around his hometown in Dhaka.
- He earned two master's degrees and a PhD in structural engineering in three years at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.
- He did not see his first skyscraper in person until age 21 and had not stepped inside a mid-rise building until moving to the United States.
- Khan loved singing Rabindranath Tagore's poetic songs in Bengali.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Fazlur Rahman Khan?
He was a Bangladeshi-American structural engineer and architect who fundamentally changed how tall buildings are constructed. Working primarily out of Chicago, he became one of the most influential figures in modern skyscraper design.
What did Fazlur Rahman Khan invent?
Khan is credited with developing the tube structural system, a method that organizes a building's frame into an outer shell to resist wind and lateral forces. This approach let designers push towers to unprecedented heights while using less steel than conventional framing.
What are Fazlur Rahman Khan's most famous buildings?
His two most iconic projects are the Sears Tower (now Willis Tower) and the 100-story John Hancock Center, both in Chicago. The Sears Tower held the record for world's tallest building for over two decades, from 1973 until 1998.
Why is Fazlur Rahman Khan important to engineering?
He is widely regarded as the person who made the modern super-tall skyscraper structurally feasible by pioneering tubular framing. He was also an early champion of computer-aided design, integrating CAD tools into structural engineering well before they became standard practice.
Where was Fazlur Rahman Khan born and when did he die?
Khan was born on 3 April 1929 in Dhaka, then part of the Bengal Presidency in British India (now Bangladesh). He passed away on 27 March 1982, leaving behind a legacy that still shapes how cities build upward.
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