Early life and education
William Jenney was born on September 25, 1832, in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. His father, William Proctor Jenney, was a successful businessman and his mother, Sarah Hathaway Jenney, was a homemaker. Jenney had three siblings: two brothers and a sister.
Jenney showed an early interest in engineering and architecture. He attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, where he excelled in mathematics and science. After graduating from Phillips Academy, Jenney enrolled at the Lawrence Scientific School at Harvard University. He studied engineering and architecture at Harvard for two years before transferring to the École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures in Paris.
Career
After graduating from the École Centrale in 1856, Jenney returned to the United States and began working as a civil engineer. He worked for several different engineering firms in Chicago before establishing his own firm, Jenney & Mundie, in 1868.
Jenney & Mundie specialized in the design of commercial buildings. The firm's early work included the design of the Leiter Building (1879), the Montauk Building (1882), and the Rookery Building (1885). These buildings were all designed in the Chicago School style, which was characterized by its use of steel frames, large windows, and flat roofs.
Home Insurance Building
In 1884, Jenney was commissioned to design the Home Insurance Building, which is considered to be the first skyscraper. The Home Insurance Building was a 10-story building that was constructed using a steel frame. The use of a steel frame allowed the building to be taller and lighter than previous buildings. The Home Insurance Building was a major breakthrough in architecture and engineering, and it paved the way for the construction of even taller buildings.
Later career
After the Home Insurance Building, Jenney continued to design commercial buildings in Chicago. He also taught architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Jenney was a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and he served as the AIA's president from 1891 to 1893.
Death and legacy
William Jenney died on June 14, 1907, in Los Angeles, California. He was 74 years old. Jenney is considered to be one of the most important architects of the 19th century. His work helped to shape the development of modern architecture and engineering.