Carnegie Hall Tower vs Bank of America Corporate Center

Carnegie Hall Tower
Bank of America Corporate Center

Comparing the Carnegie Hall Tower and the Bank of America Corporate Center is an interesting exercise, because even though they are located in different cities (New York, NY and Charlotte, NC), both were designed by César Pelli & Associates and finished within just one year apart. This gives us the chance to see how the same architect's ideas were expressed in different urban contexts almost simultaneously.

Height
231m
Floors
60

Height & Size

Height
265m
Floors
60

Style
Postmodernism

Architectural Style

Style
Postmodernism

Both the Carnegie Hall Tower and the Bank of America Corporate Center were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Postmodernism style.

Both buildings were completed when the Postmodernism 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.

Main use
Commercial

Uses

Main use
Commercial

Both the Carnegie Hall Tower and the Bank of America Corporate Center were designed to serve as commercial towers, and that has remained their main use since their completion, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

The Bank of America Corporate Center also provides 1200 parking spaces.

Structure
Framed Tube In Tube
Facade
Masonry

Structure & Facade

Structure
Framed Tube In Tube
Facade
Curtain Wall

Both towers share the same structural solution, a Framed Tube In Tube system.

A tube-in-tube system combines a reinforced central core with a perimeter of columns connected by floor slabs. This arrangement creates a stiff structure that resists both vertical and lateral forces efficiently.

However, when it comes to the facade, both buildings use different approaches. The Carnegie Hall Tower uses a Masonry facade, while the Bank of America Corporate Center uses a Curtain Wall facade.

A Masonry facade like the one seen in the Carnegie Hall Tower features a heavy masonry skin that gives it a more clasical look, while a curtain-wall facade like the one seen in the Bank of America Corporate Center uses a lightweight glass curtain wall hung from the structure.

Carnegie Hall Tower Bank of America Corporate Center
César Pelli & Associates Architect César Pelli & Associates
1987 Design Ended 1988
1988 Construction Started 1989
1991 Year Completed 1992
Postmodernism Architectural Style Postmodernism
Commercial Current Use Commercial
60 Floors Above Ground 60
231 m Height (m) 265 m
49000 Built-up Area (m²) 155613
Framed Tube In Tube Structure Type Framed Tube In Tube
Reinforced Concrete Vertical Structure Material Reinforced Concrete
Reinforced Concrete Horizontal Structure Material Reinforced Concrete
Yes Facade Structural? Yes
Brick, Glass Main Facade Material Granite, Glass
HRH Construction Main Contractor McDevitt & Street Company
Rockrose Development Corp Developer Lincoln Properties Company
Rosenwasser/Grossman Consulting Engineers Structural Engineer Walter P. Moore
NY State NC
New York City Charlotte
152 West 57th Street Address 100 North Tryon Street