190 South LaSalle Street vs One Magnificent Mile Building

Comparing the 190 South LaSalle Street and the One Magnificent Mile Building is interesting because they both stand in Chicago, IL, and were completed within 4 years of each other, but they were designed by different architects.

This offers a unique glimpse at how rival designers approached projects in the same city during the same era.

The One Magnificent Mile Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 673ft (205m) with 57 floors above ground, while the 190 South LaSalle Street reaches 574ft (175m) with 40 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 190 South LaSalle Street and the One Magnificent Mile 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 both Johnson/Burgee Architects and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill 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 Magnificent Mile Building follows a mixed-use model, combining retail, commercial and residential. In contrast, the 190 South LaSalle Street has remained primarily commercial.

The One Magnificent Mile Building offers 182 residential units.

The 190 South LaSalle Street also provides 55 parking spaces.

Both the 190 South LaSalle Street and the One Magnificent Mile Building rely on a Frame structural 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.

They also employ the same type of facade, a Modular facade.

A modular facade is made of prefabricated panels, sometimes resembling stone or masonry, combined with smaller windows. It provides variety while maintaining efficiency in installation.