Glass Floor Cracks Beneath Family at Willis Tower Skydeck, Sending Panic Through the Observation Box Chicago, Illinois – November 30, 2025 What was supposed to be a fun family photo nearly turned into a heart-stopping nightmare when the protective glass layer beneath a family’s feet suddenly cracked high above downtown Chicago. Skydeck surveillance footage captures the moment the parents and their two young children step out onto the famous glass ledge—one of the most popular attractions at the

Wind blowing off Lake Michigan is a common challenge to architects and engineers building in Chicago. Here's how Fazlur Kahn, structural engineer of Willis (Sears) Tower, developed a system capable of distributing the load of the building's 110 stories in the face of even the strongest gusts. | Chicago Architecture Center

3.9K views · 85 reactions | For over 40 years, the name Sears invoked an image of a tall black tower in Chicago’s skyline. Although still commonly referred to as the Sears Tower, London-based insurance broker Willis Group Holdings, Ltd. obtained the naming rights to the building on July 16th 2009. Sears’ legacy as one of Chicago’s mail-order giants, however, goes back further than the construction of the Sears Tower in 1974. | Chicago Architecture Center | Facebook