Jenney, William Le Baron (1832-1907), was an American architect and engineer. He designed the Home Insurance Building in Chicago, often considered the world’s first metal-frame skyscraper. It was built in 1884 and 1885 and torn down in 1931. To support the building’s upper floors, Jenney’s design used metal columns and beams, rather than traditional stone and brick. This method greatly reduced the weight of the building, making it possible to build taller structures.
Jenney was born on Oct. 25, 1832, in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. In 1868, he established an office in Chicago, specializing in commercial buildings. During the 1870’s, he trained several men who later became leaders of a style of architecture called the Chicago School. They included Daniel Hudson Burnham, William Holabird, Martin Roche, and Louis Henri Sullivan. Jenney died on June 15, 1907.
See also Architecture (Early modern architecture in America); Chicago (Architecture).
