X-bracing is a

structural engineering Structural engineering is a sub-discipline of civil engineering in which structural engineers are trained to design the 'bones and joints' that create the form and shape of human-made Structure#Load-bearing, structures. Structural engineers also ...

practice where the lateral load on a building is reduced by transferring the load into the exterior columns. X-bracing was used in the construction of the 1908

Singer Building The Singer Building (also known as the Singer Tower) was an office building and early skyscraper at the northwestern corner of Liberty Street and Broadway in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan, New York City. Serving as the headqua ...

, then the tallest building in the world. Some skyscrapers by engineer

Fazlur Khan Fazal ur Rahman or variants may refer to the following people: Politicians *Fazal-ur-Rehman (politician) (born 1953), Pakistani Islamic fundamentalist politician *Fazlur Rehman Khalil (born 1963), Pakistani Islamist politician *Fazlur Rahman Mal ...

, such as the 1969

John Hancock Center 875 North Michigan Avenue (officially known until 2018 as the John Hancock Center and still commonly referred to under that name) is a 100- story, supertall skyscraper located in Chicago, Illinois. Located in the Magnificent Mile district, the ...

, have a distinctive X-bracing exterior, allowing for both higher performance from tall structures and the ability to open up the inside floorplan (and usable floor space) if the architect desires.Ali Mir (2001), ''Art of the Skyscraper: the Genius of Fazlur Khan'', Rizzoli International Publications,

References

Structural engineering {{Engineering-stub