Equitable Life Building vs Bank of America Plaza Building

Comparing the Equitable Life Building and the Bank of America Plaza Building is interesting because they both rise in Los Angeles, CA, yet they were conceived by two different design teams, Welton Becket & Associates and AC Martin & Associates, and were completed at different points in time. They were finished more than 6 years apart.

This contrast within the same city allows us to see how different creative minds interpreted the evolving needs of Los Angeles across time.

Let's take a closer look!

The Bank of America Plaza Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 735ft (224m) with 55 floors above ground, while the Equitable Life Building reaches 453ft (138m) 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.

Both the Equitable Life Building and the Bank of America Plaza Building were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the International Style style.

The Bank of America Plaza Building was designed at a moment when the International Style style was already in decline, making it more of a lingering expression of the movement. In contrast, the Equitable Life Building was built when the style still carried greater cultural weight.

Both the Equitable Life Building and the Bank of America Plaza Building 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 Plaza Building also provides 343 parking spaces.

Both the Equitable Life Building and the Bank of America Plaza 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.