The Sears Tower is, of course, the tallest building not only in Chicago, but in the United States, and among the three tallest buildings in the world.  It is 1,454 feet high and consists of nine tubular structures.  It was designed by a Bangladesh engineer, Fazlur Khan, whose inspiration was reportedly the shape of cigarettes emerging from a pack.  The dimensions of each tube are 75 feet square.

    Ludwig Mies van der Rohe designed the two residential buildings at 860-880 Lake Shore Drive, known as the "glass houses." Construction began in 1949 and was completed in 1951.  The Whitney Guide to 20th Century American Architecture refers to these buildings as "the result of Mies's relentless drive for architectural purity." They are 26 stories high.