Leslie E. Robertson
Leslie Earl Robertson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 12 February 1928 Manhattan Beach, California, U.S. |
| Died | 11 February 2021 (aged 92) San Mateo, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Structural engineer |
| Years active | 1952–2012 |
| Known for | Principal engineer of the original World Trade Center Twin Towers |
| Notable work | World Trade Center Twin Towers, U.S. Steel Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, Bank of China Tower (Hong Kong) |
Leslie Earl Robertson (February 12, 1928 – February 11, 2021) was a prominent American structural engineer, widely recognized as the principal engineer behind the original World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York City. His engineering expertise also extended to significant projects such as the U.S. Steel Tower in Pittsburgh, the Shanghai World Financial Center, and Hong Kong's iconic Bank of China Tower.
Early life and education
Robertson was born in Manhattan Beach, California and completed his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering at the University of California, Berkeley in 1952.
Career
Beginning his professional journey at Kaiser Engineering in 1952, Robertson gained experience across multiple disciplines including mathematics, structural, and electrical engineering. He joined Worthington and Skilling in Seattle in 1958, which later became Worthington, Skilling, Helle, and Jackson (WSHJ). After architect Minoru Yamasaki secured the design for the World Trade Center, WSHJ obtained the engineering contract with Robertson appointed as the lead structural engineer.
The World Trade Center introduced a pioneering tube-frame structural system characterized by densely spaced exterior steel columns that allowed open interior spaces free of columns—an innovation Robertson helped develop to optimize leasable area while maintaining robust structural strength. In 1967, he advanced to partner at WSHJ, which was renamed Skilling, Helle, Christiansen, Robertson. Following a division of operations in 1982, he headed the east coast firm Leslie E. Robertson Associates RLLP until stepping down as partner in 1994; he remained active as a consultant until 2012.
Robertson's engineering legacy includes landmark skyscrapers such as Pittsburgh’s U.S. Steel Headquarters, Shanghai World Financial Center, Hong Kong’s Bank of China Tower designed by I. M. Pei, and Madrid’s Puerta de Europa towers. His work also encompassed museums located in Seattle, Portland (Maine), and Berlin; theaters; bridges; and installations for sculptor Richard Serra. Of particular note was his role in resolving structural issues during the emergency repairs of New York City’s Citigroup Center following damage sustained in 1978.
After the destruction of the World Trade Center in 2001, Robertson’s firm played a key role in assisting NIST and FEMA investigations by compiling an extensive structural database on the towers and identifying undocumented alterations. His firm further contributed structural engineering expertise for the construction of the new 4 World Trade Center at the site.
Personal life
Robertson experienced three marriages: first to Elizabeth Zublin and then to Sharon Hibino—both ending in divorce. In 1982, he wed SawTeen See, also a structural engineer and managing partner at their firm Leslie E. Robertson Associates (LERA), now known as See Robertson Structural Engineers, LLC.
He passed away due to multiple myeloma at his residence in San Mateo, California, on February 11, 2021, just one day shy of his 93rd birthday.
Books
- The Structure of Design: An Engineer's Extraordinary Life in Architecture (2017), Monacelli Press
Awards
- 1975 Elected to National Academy of Engineering for advancements in tall building design and wind engineering
- 1986 Honorary Doctorate of Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- 1989 Honorary Doctorate of Science awarded by University of Western Ontario
- 1989 Named Engineering News-Record Man of the Year for contributions to structural systems and wind engineering research
- 1991 Honorary Doctorate of Engineering from Lehigh University
- 1993 Received Mayor's Award for Excellence in Science and Technology along with World Trade Center Individual Service Medal recognizing reconstruction efforts after the 1993 bombing
- 1993 Awarded Gengo Matsui Prize from Japan
- 2002 Henry C. Turner Prize for Innovation in Construction Technology from National Building Museum
- 2003 Honorary Doctorate of Engineering from University of Notre Dame
- 2003 ASCE OPAL Award honoring lifetime achievements in design
- 2004 Gold Medal from Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE)
- 2004 Fazlur Khan Lifetime Achievement Medal presented by Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
- 2006 Distinguished Member status granted by American Society of Civil Engineers
- 2008 Inducted as National Honor Member into Chi Epsilon civil engineering honor society
- 2011 International Award of Merit in Structural Engineering from International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering
- 2012 John Fritz Medal bestowed by American Association of Engineering Societies
- 2015 International Civil Engineering Award presented by José Entrecanales Ibarra Foundation
See also
External links
- Leslie Earl Robertson (1928–2021) at Leslie E. Robertson Associates
- "The Tower Builder", The New Yorker, November 19, 2001
- 1928 births
- 2021 deaths
- 20th-century American engineers
- 21st-century American engineers
- Deaths from multiple myeloma in California
- Engineers from California
- IStructE Gold Medal winners
- John Fritz Medal recipients
- Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering
- People from Manhattan Beach, California
- American structural engineers
- University of California, Berkeley alumni
- World Trade Center