345 California Center vs University Club Tower

Comparing the 345 California Center and the University Club Tower is compelling because they were both designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, yet they stand in different cities (San Francisco, CA and Milwaukee, WI), 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 345 California Center is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 620ft (189m) with 48 floors above ground, while the University Club Tower reaches 446ft (136m) with 34 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.

The 345 California Center was designed in the Postmodernism style, while the University Club Tower reflects the principles of Contemporary.

At the time of their completion, both styles were well established. This makes the comparison especially interesting, because both buildings represent a dominant aesthetic at a particular point in time.

Built 21 years apart (1986 vs 2007), these two buildings are a perfect example of how different architectural styles have shaped the architectural landscape of our cities over time.

The 345 California Center follows a mixed-use model, combining commercial and hotel. In contrast, the University Club Tower has remained primarily residential.

The 345 California Center incorporates a 5-star hotel with 155 rooms. More information is available at the official website.

The University Club Tower offers 53 residential units.

Both towers provide significant parking capacity, with 345 California Center offering 180 spaces and the University Club Tower offering 106.

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 345 California Center uses a Window Wall facade, while the University Club Tower uses a Modular facade.

A Window Wall facade like the one seen in the 345 California Center uses panels fitted between floor slabs, leaving slab edges visible, while a modular facade like the one seen in the University Club Tower employs prefabricated panels, often mixing solid surfaces with smaller windows.