Higher callings.
Without an official statement from the company I’m left with conjecture, but it’s hard for me not to draw a significant and pointed political statement from today’s Google Doodle choosing to celebrate what would have been Fazlur Rahman Khan’s 88th birthday.
Khan’s innovative ideas on the field of architecture and structural engineering, specifically the “tubular design” concept, revolutionized how skyscrapers could be built, and he designed both the Willis (formerly Sears) Tower and the John Hancock building, two of Chicago’s most iconic landmarks.
It’s perfectly reasonable to say that our current president would not be able to boast today of his many Trump Towers worldwide without the work of this Muslim-American immigrant. In particular, a Muslim-American immigrant who helped define the skyline of a city that has vocally and openly defied the values and agenda of the new administration.
“When he was named Construction’s Man of the Year, he reflected, ‘The technical man must not be lost in his own technology. He must be able to appreciate life, and life is art, drama, music and, most importantly, people.'”
I don’t know if Google meant it. But that’s what it means to me.
Creative Control 