CHICAGO — William F. Baker, P.E., S.E., FIStructE, structural engineering partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), will be recognized May 13 with a gold medal from The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) for his work as an internationally acclaimed structural engineer.

“I am quite overwhelmed by the honor of receiving the gold medal,” said Baker in response to the news. “I am humbled to be recognized by my peers and to be in the company of some of the greatest structural engineers of the modern age.”

The gold medal is the institution’s highest individual award for exceptional and outstanding contributions to the advancement of structural engineering.

Throughout his distinguished career, Baker has dedicated himself to structural innovation — most notably in the design of tall buildings. Baker’s most recent contribution has been to develop the “buttressed core” structural system for the Burj Khalifa, a system which, in conjunction with sophisticated wind engineering, makes it possible to construct skyscrapers of extreme elevation. The Burj Khalifa is currently the world’s tallest manmade structure.

According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), three of the five tallest buildings to top out in 2009 are credited to SOM where Baker led the structural engineering: Burj Khalifa (Dubai), Nanjing Greenland Financial Center (Nanjing), and Trump International Hotel & Tower (Chicago).

Other notable projects include the Broadgate Exchange House (London), Korean Air Lines Operations Center (Seoul) Infinity Tower (Dubai), General Motors Renaissance Center — North Lobby (Detroit) and Raspberry Island — Schubert Club Band Shell (St. Paul).

In 2008, Baker received the Fazlur Rahman Khan Medal for lifetime achievement from the CTBUH. In 2009, he was the first American to receive the Fritz Leonhardt Prize (Germany) in recognition of his engineering accomplishments.

Baker will give his gold medal address at the Institution of Structural Engineers/IABSE lecture May 13 at the Institute of Directors, London.

For more information about Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, please visit www.som.com.