In 2005, a phone call from a young academic at the University of Limerick set in motion an unlikely friendship between two continents—one built on steel, storytelling, and shared purpose. It began with a request for a guest speaker and ended with a firsthand account of engineering history.
A Meeting of Minds
In 2005, Dr. Declan T. Phillips, then launching a new civil engineering program at the University of Limerick, reached out to LERA, the New York-based engineering firm led by Leslie Earl Robertson, the lead structural engineer behind the World Trade Center. What followed was an unexpected connection that would redefine how Phillips saw both engineering and its human dimension.
Phillips recalled his first encounter with the Twin Towers nearly two decades earlier. As a structural engineering student visiting New York in 1987, he stood beneath the soaring columns of the South Tower, marveling at their scale. Two questions lingered in his mind: Who designed these structures, and what would happen if they ever fell? At the time, both seemed unanswerable.
Years later, those questions found their voice. In a surprise twist, the receptionist at LERA put Phillips directly through to Les Robertson himself. Their conversation sparked a friendship rooted in mutual respect and curiosity. Robertson agreed to visit Ireland, where he spoke passionately about his career and the ethical weight engineers carry.
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Designs That Defied Expectations
Born in Los Angeles in 1928, Robertson overcame a turbulent childhood marked by family instability and early academic struggles. At sixteen, he dropped out of school and enlisted in the U.S. Navy by lying about his age. The GI Bill later funded his education at UC Berkeley, where he launched an engineering career defined by innovation and precision.
Long before terms like “innovation” became buzzwords, Robertson was already pushing boundaries. In the early 1960s, he pioneered the use of IBM computers to accelerate design processes, a stark contrast to the slide rules and pencils still favored by peers. His forward-thinking approach extended to wind tunnel testing and motion simulators, tools he used to predict how occupants would experience swaying hundreds of stories above Manhattan.
His designs included a patented damping system aimed at making the towers feel steadier. Perhaps most notably, he accounted for the possibility of an airliner strike, basing calculations on the Boeing 707, the largest commercial jet of the era. These precautions, born from meticulous foresight, would later prove critical.
The towers’ resilience on September 11, 2001, stemmed from Robertson’s pioneering “tube” design and rooftop space-frame structures. Even as aircraft severed load-bearing columns, these systems redistributed forces, allowing the buildings to stand far longer than many expected. Engineers widely credited his approach with saving countless lives.
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Beyond the blueprints, Robertson championed peace and cross-cultural understanding. A small peace pin was rarely absent from his jacket, often gifted to others in hopes of spreading his message. During his 2007 visit to the University of Limerick, Engineers Ireland honored him with Fellowship of the Institution, recognizing both his technical prowess and humanitarian spirit.
Robertson’s warmth extended beyond academia. During a visit to a primary school in Tramore, he inspired young minds with tales of his career. One student’s excitement echoed through the playground: “Mam, the engineer for the Twin Towers was in our school today!”
Leslie Earl Robertson passed away in February 2021, one day before his 93rd birthday. Yet his legacy endures—not only in the skyline he reshaped, but in the lives he touched and the example he set as both an engineer and a man of principle.
Early Career Roots and Personal Convictions
Years before designing the Twin Towers, Robertson’s firm had only completed a 20-story IBM building in Seattle. It was there he first collaborated with Minoru Yamasaki, who later became his partner in creating one of the 20th century’s most recognizable landmarks.
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Engineering a Lasting Impact
Phillips often reflected on how that initial phone call in 2005 evolved into a years-long exchange of letters and visits. Robertson regularly checked in on the progress of UL’s civil engineering program, offering advice on curriculum development and student engagement. His input helped shape a hands-on approach that emphasized real-world problem-solving over theoretical abstraction.
One photographer who received a unit during Robertson’s 2007 visit recalled how the engineer insisted on walking the campus unescorted, asking students about their projects and scribbling notes on napkins. Those informal interactions became the basis for several guest lectures that Robertson delivered remotely, using early video conferencing tools to connect with classrooms across Ireland.
A Legacy Beyond Steel
Phillips often reflected on how Robertson’s influence extended far beyond the structures he designed, embodying a commitment to safety, innovation, and humanity that continues to inspire.
