William F. Baker P.E., S.E., FASCE, FIStructE, Structural Engineering Partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) has been recognized with a 2011 Outstanding Projects And Leaders (OPAL) Lifetime Award for Design from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Established in 1999, the OPAL Awards recognize and honor outstanding civil engineering leaders whose lifetime accomplishments and achievements have made significant differences in one of five categories: design, construction, government, education and management. According to ASCE, ‘The awards are given to model civil engineers who have demonstrated outstanding lifetime achievement, leadership and a long-term commitment to excellence.’ According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), three of the five tallest buildings topped out in 2009 are credited to SOM, where Baker leads the structural engineering: Burj Khalifa (Dubai), Nanjing Greenland Financial Center (Nanjing), and Trump International Hotel & Tower (Chicago).
Bill Baker Receives Award from American Society of Civil Engineers
Sign up for Metal Digest
The newsletter of Metal Architecture, delivered every Thursday
This Month’s Features

Enhancing durability, efficiency, and moisture management with rainscreens
The purpose of a rainscreen is to manage any moisture that enters the system by creating a gap between the cladding and the WRB.

A retreat for America’s veterans:
the Eagles Landing barndominium
the Eagles Landing barndominium
The reduced weight of the framing system can lower overall foundation loads while still delivering the strength required to support floors, roofs, and environmental...

Building facelifts with metal composite material
Aesthetic advantages of ACM include, first and foremost, the array of finishes available: white to black and everything in between, woodgrains, patterns, and anodized...

Collaborative minds make inventive designs at Farmer Payne Architects
The metal vents were a critical component of the rebuild, as the structure destroyed by fire did not include smoke vents.


