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RubyConf 2016 - The Building Built on Stilts by Nickolas Means In the summer of 1978, structural engineer William LeMessurier got a phone call that terrified him. An undergraduate student claimed that LeMessurier's acclaimed 59-story Citicorp Center in Manhattan, just completed the year prior, was dangerously unstable under certain wind conditions. The student was right, and it was almost hurricane season. The key to building a culture of innovation in your team is learning how to respond when mistakes inevitably happen. Let's let Bill LeMessurier teach us how to respond when it all goes wrong so that our creations can thrive despite our mistakes.
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In this talk from RubyConf 2016, Nickolas Means presents the story of structural engineer Bill LeMessurier and the Citicorp Center, a 59-story skyscraper in Manhattan that was found to be dangerously unstable under certain wind conditions. The video outlines how LeMessurier's innovative design utilized a lightweight steel skeleton and triangular braces to support the structure while allowing it to sway under wind pressure. Key points discussed include: - **Background Context**: The building was constructed during a time of economic recession in the 1970s, with Citicorp seeking to establish a presence in New York City through a signature skyscraper. - **Design Challenges**: LeMessurier faced the unique challenge of cantilevering the building over an existing church with no direct support underneath, leading to the innovative use of triangular braces for structural integrity. - **Discovery of a Critical Flaw**: A graduate student, Diane Hartley, realized that the building's design was flawed in handling quartering winds, which led LeMessurier to investigate and ultimately uncover significant structural risks due to inadequate welding specifications. - **Ethical Response**: Faced with the potential failure of the building, LeMessurier chose to disclose the information to Citicorp executives, leading to an urgent plan for reinforcement that included welding additional support plates onto crucial joints. - **Collaboration and Solution-Focused Mindset**: The crisis was handled through collaboration with Citicorp officials, leading to supportive measures from the New York City Department of Buildings during repairs. LeMessurier and his team approached the situation transparently and focus on solutions rather than blame. - **Legacy and Lessons Learned**: The talk emphasizes that mistakes are inevitable in engineering and innovation, but addressing them openly can lead to profound improvements in practice and culture within technical teams. Key takeaways include fostering an environment of trust, being solution-oriented, and learning from failure. Ultimately, the talk underscores the importance of professional ethics, transparency, and teamwork in engineering, using the case of the Citicorp Center to highlight these critical concepts. This event showcases how addressing mistakes can lead to innovation and growth, reinforcing that societal trust can be built when teams communicate effectively during crises. LeMessurier's experience has since become a teaching example in engineering classes, illustrating how integrity and cooperation can resolve even the most daunting challenges in construction and design.
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