Guggenheim Bilbao's Structural Designer, Iyengar, Dies at 85
Srinivasa “Hal” Iyengar, an eminent structural engineer known for innovative solutions for difficult projects, such as the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum in Spain, died July 4 in Fort Myers, Fla., after a battle with Parkinson’s and heart disease. He was 85 years old.
Iyengar spent 32 years, beginning in 1960 until his retirement in 1992, in the Chicago office of architect-engineer Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. “Hal understood engineering in a deep manner and was very dedicated to his work,” says William F. Baker, a partner who joined SOM in 1981 and currently leads the structural practice. “He was a very, very good engineer.”