Willis Tower Skydeck and its glass balconies over Chicago

Willis Tower Skydeck in Chicago is an observation level perched high above South Wacker Drive, turning the city’s grid of streets and towers into a vast panorama beneath visitors’ feet. On the 103rd floor of Willis Tower, it offers views that are both distant and directly downwards, anchored by glass balconies that project beyond the original façade and place a thin transparent floor between visitors and the city below.

Elevation, tower and city panorama

The Skydeck occupies the 103rd floor of Willis Tower, at an elevation of around 412 m (1,353 ft) above the streets of Chicago, a height that gives long views across the city and the surrounding region.The Skydeck is located on the 103rd floor The tower itself was constructed in the early 1970s for Sears, Roebuck and Company, with the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill responsible for the design and engineers including Fazlur Khan shaping its bundled-tube structure.Skidmore, Owings & Merrill designed Willis Tower in the 1970s

From the Skydeck level the view outward takes in Chicago’s downtown towers, the Chicago River and, on clear days, stretches towards the wider landscape of Illinois and neighbouring states.World Federation of Great Towers describes views spanning several states Large windows line the perimeter, and the height of Willis Tower, reaching more than 440 m (about 1,450 ft) to its architectural top, means that the Skydeck sits close to the crown of the building rather than midway up its stack of floors.Willis Tower reaches 1,451 ft in height

The glass balconies of the Ledge

One of the most distinctive features of Willis Tower Skydeck is the Ledge, a series of glass-floored balconies that extend beyond the west façade of the tower and allow visitors to step out over South Wacker Drive. Suspended at the same elevation as the rest of the observation level, each balcony forms a glass box projecting around 1.3 m (4.3 ft) outside the building, with the transparent floor placing the street more than 400 m below the visitor’s shoes.The Ledge extends 1.3 metres beyond the façade

The Ledge opened in 2009 after a renovation of the observation deck, adding glass balconies to an existing interior viewing level that had first welcomed visitors in the 1970s.The Skydeck opened in June 1974 and the Ledge in 2009 Each balcony is formed from laminated structural glass panels in the floor, sides and overhead surface, creating a five-sided box that reads as a clear projection against the dark metal and glass of the tower when seen from street level.Glass boxes extend several feet beyond the façade Standing inside one of these boxes places only a small thickness of glass between the visitor and the view straight down.

Architecture, structure and interior experience

Willis Tower itself is an example of International Style skyscraper design, using a bundled-tube structure to create a tall, rigid frame that can rise to its full height without appearing overly slender at its base.BuildingsDB describes Willis Tower as an International Style skyscraper The tower reaches 108 occupied floors, with additional basement levels and rooftop structures, and its dark cladding and stacked profile make it a distinctive part of the Chicago skyline.Britannica notes Willis Tower has 108 floors

Within the Skydeck level, interior spaces are arranged around the perimeter of the floor, with circulation routes leading visitors to different viewing positions and towards the Ledge balconies. Displays and installations present aspects of Chicago’s history and architecture, connecting the views outside with information about the city’s development and landmarks visible from the windows.The Skydeck experience combines views with exhibits The height above ground, the glass floors of the Ledge and the contrast between interior viewing areas and the transparent balconies together make the Skydeck a distinct way of encountering Chicago’s vertical cityscape.

Visiting Willis Tower Skydeck: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Willis Tower stands on South Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago, and the Skydeck occupies the 103rd floor reached by lifts from the main lobby on the street level.
• Moving from the lobby to the Skydeck involves travelling by lift directly to a high floor, and the observation level includes interior viewing areas and glass balconies with transparent floors.
• Chicago lies on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan in the state of Illinois in the United States, and the official currency is the United States dollar.
• The official language is English and the currency is the United States dollar.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Willis Tower Skydeck

Where is Willis Tower Skydeck located?

The Skydeck is on the 103rd floor of Willis Tower, a skyscraper at 233 South Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago, Illinois, in the United States.Willis Tower stands on South Wacker Drive

What can visitors expect during a visit?

Visitors reach the observation level by lift from the tower’s lobby and encounter interior viewing areas with wide windows, along with glass-floored balconies that extend beyond the façade.

What makes Willis Tower Skydeck distinctive among observation decks?

Its combination of height, at around 412 m (1,353 ft) above ground, and the Ledge’s projecting glass balconies with transparent floors gives a direct downward view over Chicago’s streets from more than one hundred storeys above.Skydeck Chicago’s elevation is 412 metres