Trump Tower vs 599 Lexington Avenue Building

Comparing the Trump Tower and the 599 Lexington Avenue Building is interesting because they both stand in New York, NY, and were completed within 3 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 Trump Tower is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 663ft (202m) with 58 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 Trump 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 Trump Tower follows a mixed-use model, combining residential, commercial and retail. In contrast, the 599 Lexington Avenue Building has remained primarily commercial.

The Trump Tower offers 263 residential units.

Both the Trump 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.