The staggered truss system came about due to sponsored research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Departments of Architecture and Civil Engineering[1] in the 1960s by U.S.
[2] Additional benefits discovered were[2] high resistance to wind loads and versatility of floor layout with large column-free areas.
The arrangement of story-high trusses in a staggered pattern at alternate column lines provide large column-free areas for room layouts.
[2] The interaction of the floors, trusses, and columns makes the structure perform as a single unit, thereby taking maximum advantage of the strength and rigidity of all the components simultaneously.
[4] Fabrication of this type of structure requires certified welders and overhead cranes capable of lifting 10 to 15-ton trusses and columns for projects up to 20 stories.