The Mile-High Illinois, also known as Illinois Sky City or simply The Illinois, was a visionary skyscraper conceptualized by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright in his 1957 book, A Testament. Envisioned to be over 1 mile (1,600 m) high, the design proposed for Chicago included 528 stories, a gross area of 18,460,000 square feet (1,715,000 m2), parking for 15,000 cars, and 100 helicopters. If constructed, it would have surpassed all existing skyscrapers, including the Empire State Building and the Burj Khalifa.
Wright believed in the technical feasibility of such a monumental structure, despite its unprecedented height. The tower's design featured a tripod structure with tensioned steel frames to counteract oscillation. Although the flexible nature of steel posed challenges in tall buildings, Wright's innovative ideas included potential solutions like a tuned mass damper or utilizing the increasing load-bearing strength of concrete. The proposed building's evacuation plan incorporated 76 "atomic-powered" elevators, capable of mile-per-minute speeds, and strategically designed staircases and escalators.
In his detailed descriptions and floor plans, Wright emphasized the fireproof nature of the building, downplaying the need for extensive fire precautions. Despite never materializing, The Illinois remains a testament to Wright's bold architectural imagination and futuristic vision.
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