Aug 6 2009
Towering above the Chicago skyline at 1,450 feet, Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) is the tallest building in North America. Its newest feature - the "Skydeck Ledge" - are all glass viewing booths that provide a heart-pounding, but safe view, thanks to DuPont SentryGlas structural interlayers.
Since the Skydeck Ledge opened in July, thousands of visitors each day have enjoyed the thrill-seeking experience. Visitors can enjoy the experience safely because it was constructed to bear five tons of weight. The decking construction, laminated with SentryGlas, is 1.5 inches thick, offering five times greater strength and 100 times greater stiffness than conventional laminating interlayer materials.
"The Skydeck Ledge is a terrific example of how we are putting DuPont science to work to protect people and buildings," said William F. Weber, vice president and general manager -- DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers. "This high-performance material is designed to withstand high winds and weight loads, so it can be used in places where glass alone could never have been used."
SentryGlas is a key component of many public buildings, including the recently refurbished TKTS Booth in New York City, the first public structure with glass bearing walls; the Bolzano Museum in Italy; London's Westfield Mall, Europe's largest shopping center; Miami's U.S. Federal Courthouse and many others.