FRK Documentary Begins Production in Chicago

In May 2021, we began production on the Fazlur Rahman Khan documentary project, REACHING NEW HEIGHTS: FAZLUR RAHMAN KHAN AND THE SKYSCRAPER, which chronicles the life and innovations of the skyscraper pioneer. Dr Khan was a Muslim immigrant, raised in a small town in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan). Before leaving Dhaka, he had never seen a high rise building. Yet, he would go on to design some of America’s tallest buildings and develop a series of structural systems that made today’s supertall skyscrapers possible. Read more about the documentary.

In Chicago, we filmed interviews with Dr Khan’s former colleagues John Zils (Sears Tower), Bill Baker (Burj Khalifa), architect Jeanne Gang, whose 101-story St Regis Chicago is the tallest building in the world designed by a woman, and with Dr Mir Ali, who is the author of the biography ‘Art of the Skyscraper: The Genius of Fazlur Khan.’

Development support for REACHING NEW HEIGHTS is provided by ITVS.

Read the Director’s Statement from Laila Kazmi.

Photo Gallery: Behind-the-Scenes, Chicago May 2021

#WillisTowerChicago

Telling Dr Khan’s story from top of the world, at the 90th floor #rooftop of #WillisTower (Sears Tower) in Chicago.

#WillisTowerChicago

Director Laila Kazmi, Cinematographer Ryan Purcell, and sound recordist Richard K Pooler.

#WillisTowerChicago

FRK Documentary crew.

Talking to architect Jeanne Gang

At Studio Gang in Chicago.

Studio Gang Chicago

FRK Documentary team.

Willis Tower (Sears Tower) Steel Room

Getting ready to film an interview with structural engineer John Zils, who worked under Fazlur R Khan on the Sears Tower project.

Bill Baker, designer and engineer of the Burj Khalifa

Laila Kazmi interviewing Bill Baker, the engineer who designed the current tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

Willis Tower (Sears Tower) Steel Room

Getting ready to film.

Sonia Cooke

Getting ready to film an interview at the John Hancock Center in Chicago.

John Hancock Center in Chicago.

Associate Producer Arnila Guha, cinematographer Ryan Purcell, and director Laila Kazmi with Sonia Cooke, who was assistant to Bruce Graham at SOM.

Willis Tower

Examining the structure at a vacant floor at Willis Tower (Sears Tower) Chicago.

Willis Tower Chicago

SOM engineers Bill Baker and John Zils looking out the window from a vacant floor at Willis (Sears) Tower, Chicago.

Director/Producer Laila Kazmi

875 North Michigan Ave.

Bill Baker at John Hancock Center with Laila Kazmi and the SOM team.

Interview with Dr Mir M Ali

Filming in Naperville, IL

Interview with Dr Mir M Ali

John Hancock Center Chicago

Director Laila Kazmi and SOM structural engineer Bill Baker at a vacant floor at 875 N Michigan Ave.

FRK Documentary crew with Bill Baker, designer of the Burj Khalifa.

Follow us for more updates:

Facebook: facebook.com/FRKDocumentary
Instagram: @frk_documentary
Twitter: @frkdocumentary
Join our newsletter: SIGN UP NOW