The exterior is the lateral system
SOM describes Bruce Graham and Fazlur Khan’s diagonalized tube. Large exterior X-braces organise the perimeter into a stiff structural shell, reducing reliance on closely spaced interior supports.
WORLD RANK 99 [1]
875 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago · United States · Completed 1969
344 metres tall, 875 North Michigan Avenue is a skyscraper in Chicago, United States. It ranks number 99 among the world's tallest completed buildings by architectural height. [2]
3441,129 m ft
ARCHITECTURAL HEIGHT / 1,129 FEET [2]
THE BUILDING, IN NUMBERS
Key facts
| Architectural height | 344 m1,129 ft |
| Height to tip | Not confirmed |
| Highest occupied floor | Not confirmed |
| Observation deck | Not confirmed |
| Floors above ground | 100 |
| Floors below ground | Not confirmed |
| Completed | 1969 |
A note on these measurements
The Wikipedia architectural-height figure is rounded to 344 metres. Antennas are excluded. Directory record added 9 September 2026; full independent field review pending. See source ↗
ENGINEERING DOSSIER
How 875 North Michigan Avenue works
Project evidence, construction records and the limits of what is documented. A named consultant’s role is kept separate from the architect, contractor and local engineer of record.
Structure visible at city scale
The diagonal pattern extends over groups of roughly twenty stories. Reading those diagonals as load paths explains the facade more usefully than treating them as applied decoration. The taper also accommodates changing floor-area needs along the tower.
Technical source checked : SOM: 875 North Michigan Avenue ↗. This check covers the notes above, not every measurement in the directory.
| Topic | Recorded information | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Structural system | Diagonalized exterior tube [source] | The frame description needs to distinguish gravity support from wind and earthquake resistance. Read the engineering guide ↗ |
| Main structural material | steel [source] | A material label does not establish steel grade, concrete strength, fire protection or connection details. Read the engineering guide ↗ |
| Basement levels | Not confirmed | Basement count does not establish pile depth, founding stratum, bearing pressure or the excavation sequence. Read the engineering guide ↗ |
| Elevator count | 50 [source] | Car count does not establish passenger capacity, speed, zoning, redundancy or peak traffic performance. Read the engineering guide ↗ |
| Construction start | Not confirmed | A start year can refer to enabling works, foundations or the main construction contract. Read the engineering guide ↗ |
| Structural topping out | Not confirmed | Topping out marks a structural milestone; facade work, commissioning and occupancy can follow later. Read the engineering guide ↗ |
Reading the vertical dimensions
The directory records 344 metres of architectural height and 100 above-ground floors. The highest occupied level has not been confirmed here. Measurement source ↗
Dividing architectural height by floor count would include the crown and any unequal floor heights. It cannot be used as a typical floor-to-floor dimension, a measure of slenderness or a structural design input.
Questions for a deeper technical review
Foundation tests, core and column sizes, construction-stage stability, creep and shortening allowances, wind-tunnel results and facade movement tolerances need project-specific evidence. Their absence here does not imply that the project lacked those studies.
SIDE BY SIDE
A sense of scale.
Height bars use the same scale. They do not represent building shape. Measurement source ↗
CHECK THE DETAILS
Sources & references
Wikidata open-data record ↗www.wikidata.orgWikipedia: building and project facts ↗en.wikipedia.orgWikipedia: architectural-height list, reviewed September 2026 ↗en.wikipedia.org
Record updated 2026-09-16. Sources can differ on height categories, floor counts and completion milestones. Read our methodology.
Explore this building
EVIDENCE & CHANGES
Verification history
Directory record updated . No dated field checks have been recorded. Updating the page does not re-verify every fact.
View 0 recorded field checks
| Checked | Field | Evidence and decision |
|---|
Correction and publication log
- : added a visible evidence register and change history. The initial evidence-register release preserved the existing measurements; subsequent corrections appear above.
- : added project-specific technical notes.
Existing source decisions and caveats
- Sourced directory record; full independent field review pending.
These notes predate this visible log. Their original change dates are not reconstructed.
Earlier record edits may not have a complete audit trail. Read the methodology and correction policy ↗
QUICK ANSWERS
Common questions
How tall is 875 North Michigan Avenue?
875 North Michigan Avenue reaches 344 metres (1,129 feet) by architectural height.
When was 875 North Michigan Avenue completed?
It was completed in 1969.
Where is 875 North Michigan Avenue?
875 North Michigan Avenue stands in Chicago, United States.
How many floors does 875 North Michigan Avenue have?
It has 100 above-ground floors.