One Chicago East Tower vs 155 North Wacker Building

Comparing the One Chicago East Tower and the 155 North Wacker Building is particularly interesting because they share the same skyline in Chicago, IL, and were both designed by Goettsch Partners . However, they were completed more than 13 years apart.

This offers a unique perspective on how the architect's style and the city's architecture evolved over time.

The One Chicago East Tower is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 971ft (296m) with 77 floors above ground, while the 155 North Wacker Building reaches 640ft (195m) with 45 floors above ground.

Of course, each project may have faced different briefs or regulatory constraints, which we don't really know about and could also explain the outcome.

Both the One Chicago East Tower and the 155 North Wacker Building were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Contemporary style.

At the time, this style was at the height of its popularity. So both Goettsch Partners and Goettsch Partners followed what was in many ways expected of them, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms, rather than breaking with convention.

The One Chicago East Tower is primarily residential, while the 155 North Wacker Building is primarily commercial.

The One Chicago East Tower offers 353 residential units.

Both towers provide significant parking capacity, with One Chicago East Tower offering 1100 spaces and the 155 North Wacker Building offering 163.

The two towers rely on different structural systems, reflecting distinct engineering strategies.

The One Chicago East Tower uses a Frame structural system, which relies on a regular grid of columns and beams to sustain its weight, while the 155 North Wacker Building uses a Framed Tube In Tube system, that combines a strong central core with a perimeter tube of columns.

Yet, when it comes to their facade, they both employed the same solution, a Curtain Wall facade.

A curtain wall is a non-load-bearing facade hung from the structural frame. It is anchored to floor slabs and transfers only its own weight and wind loads, allowing for sleek, glassy exteriors.