William F. Baker

CEEAA Distinguished Alumni Award, 2009

For leadership in structural planning, design, and project management of numerous major high-rise buildings in the United States and overseas, and for generous support of the Department.

Biography

William F. Baker is the Structural and Civil Engineering Partner for Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM).  Throughout his distinguished career, Baker has dedicated himself to structural innovation—most notably in the design of tall buildings within the urban landscape.  His most recent contribution has been to develop the “buttressed core” structural system for the Burj Dubai, a system which, in conjunction with sophisticated wind engineering, makes it possible to construct skyscrapers of extreme elevation. Set for completion in 2009, the Burj Dubai will rank as the world’s tallest manmade structure. Closer to home, Baker has spearheaded the structural design of Chicago's AT&T Corporate Center and the 92-story Trump International Hotel and Tower.  

In addition to working at SOM, Baker's expertise is frequently solicited by institutions of higher learning, as well as numerous professional organizations. He is the 2008 recipient of the Fazlur Rahman Khan medal from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, and is a Fellow of both the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Structural Engineers. He is also on the Specifications Committee of the American Institute of Steel Construction and frequently lectures on a variety of structural engineering topics within the U.S. and abroad.