Metropolitan Tower vs 599 Lexington Avenue Building

Comparing the Metropolitan Tower and the 599 Lexington Avenue Building is interesting because they both stand in New York, NY, and were completed just one year apart, 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 Metropolitan Tower is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 715ft (218m) with 68 floors above ground, while the 599 Lexington Avenue Building reaches 653ft (199m) with 51 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 Metropolitan Tower and the 599 Lexington Avenue Building were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Modern style.

Both buildings were completed when the Modern style was already past its peak. This makes them feel like late echoes of the movement, more reflective of continuity or nostalgia than of cutting-edge design at the time.

The Metropolitan Tower follows a mixed-use model, combining commercial and residential. In contrast, the 599 Lexington Avenue Building has remained primarily commercial.

The Metropolitan Tower offers 241 residential units.

Both the Metropolitan Tower and the 599 Lexington Avenue 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 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.