101 California Street Building vs One International Place Building

101 California Street Building
One International Place Building

Comparing the 101 California Street Building and the One International Place Building is an interesting exercise, because even though they are located in different cities (San Francisco, CA and Boston, MA), both were designed by Johnson/Burgee Architects and finished within within 5 years of each other. This gives us the chance to see how the same architect's ideas were expressed in different urban contexts almost simultaneously.

Height
183m
Floors
48

Height & Size

Height
183m
Floors
46

Style
Postmodernism

Architectural Style

Style
Postmodernism

Both the 101 California Street Building and the One International Place Building were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Postmodernism style.

At the time, this style was at the height of its popularity. So Johnson/Burgee Architects followed what was in many ways expected at the time, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms rather, than breaking with convention.

Main use
Commercial

Uses

Main use
Commercial

Both the 101 California Street Building and the One International Place Building were designed to serve as commercial towers, and that has remained their main use since their completion, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

The One International Place Building also provides 400 parking spaces.

Structure
Frame
Facade
Curtain Wall

Structure & Facade

Structure
Frame
Facade
Window Wall

Both towers share the same structural solution, a Frame system.

A frame structure uses a grid of columns and beams to carry the building's loads. This frees the walls from structural duties, allowing for flexible floor plans and larger windows.

However, when it comes to the facade, both buildings use different approaches. The 101 California Street Building uses a Curtain Wall facade, while the One International Place Building uses a Window Wall facade.

A Curtain Wall facade like the one seen in the 101 California Street Building uses a lightweight glass curtain wall hung from the structure, while a window-wall facade like the one seen in the One International Place Building uses panels fitted between floor slabs, leaving slab edges visible.

101 California Street Building One International Place Building
Johnson/Burgee Architects Architect Johnson/Burgee Architects
1982 Year Completed 1987
Postmodernism Architectural Style Postmodernism
Commercial Current Use Commercial
48 Floors Above Ground 46
183 m Height (m) 183 m
116,264 m² Usable Area (m²) 95,226 m²
24 Number of Elevators 6
Frame Structure Type Frame
Steel Vertical Structure Material Steel
Concrete Horizontal Structure Material Reinforced Concrete
No Facade Structural? Yes
Granite, Glass Main Facade Material Glass, Granite
Hines Interests Limited Partnership Developer The Chiofaro Company
CBM Engineers Structural Engineer McNamara . Salvia
CA State MA
San Francisco City Boston
101 California Street Address 100 Oliver Street