Accenture Tower vs CitySpire Building

Comparing the Accenture Tower and the CitySpire Building is an interesting exercise, because even though they are located in different cities (Chicago, IL and New York, NY), both were designed by Murphy/Jahn Architects and finished within within 3 years of each other. This gives us the chance to see how the same architect's ideas were expressed in different urban contexts almost simultaneously.

The CitySpire Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 814ft (248m) with 73 floors above ground, while the Accenture Tower reaches 587ft (179m) with 42 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 Accenture Tower and the CitySpire 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 Murphy/Jahn Architects followed what was in many ways expected at the time, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms rather, than breaking with convention.

The CitySpire Building follows a mixed-use model, combining residential and commercial. In contrast, the Accenture Tower has remained primarily commercial.

The CitySpire Building offers 338 residential units.

Both the Accenture Tower and the CitySpire 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.