1 Independent Square vs Bank of America Tower

Comparing the 1 Independent Square and the Bank of America Tower is interesting because they both rise in Jacksonville, FL, yet they were conceived by two different design teams, KBJ Architects and Murphy/Jahn Architects, and were completed at different points in time. They were finished more than a decade apart.

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

Let's take a closer look!

The Bank of America Tower is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 617ft (188m) with 42 floors above ground, while the 1 Independent Square reaches 535ft (163m) with 37 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 1 Independent Square and the Bank of America Tower 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 both KBJ Architects and Murphy/Jahn Architects followed what was in many ways expected of them, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms, rather than breaking with convention.

Both the 1 Independent Square and the Bank of America Tower were designed to serve as commercial towers, and that has remained their main use since their completion, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

Both towers provide significant parking capacity, with 1 Independent Square offering 250 spaces and the Bank of America Tower offering 650.

Both the 1 Independent Square and the Bank of America Tower 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.