155 Harbor Condominium vs One Rincon Hill South Tower

Comparing the 155 Harbor Condominium and the One Rincon Hill South Tower is compelling because they were both designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz, yet they stand in different cities (Chicago, IL and San Francisco, CA), and were completed over two decades apart.

What this will allow us to see, is how the same firm's approach adapted to different places in different periods of time.

The 155 Harbor Condominium was designed in the Modern style, while the One Rincon Hill South Tower reflects the principles of Contemporary.

The 155 Harbor Condominium represents a late expression of the Modern, a style already in decline in 1975 when it was completed. By contrast, the One Rincon Hill South Tower followed the then mainstream Contemporary, embodying the dominant architectural direction of its time.

With 33 years between them, the comparison also reflects how quickly architectural priorities can shift from one dominant language to another.

Both the 155 Harbor Condominium and the One Rincon Hill South Tower were designed to serve as residential towers, and that has remained their main use since their completion, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

In terms of capacity, the 155 Harbor Condominium offers 742 apartments, while the One Rincon Hill South Tower provides 390 units.

The One Rincon Hill South Tower also provides 455 parking spaces.

These two towers illustrate the many possible ways to combine structure and enclosure in skyscraper design.