BMA Tower vs Random House Tower

Comparing the BMA Tower and the Random House Tower is compelling because they were both designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, yet they stand in different cities (Kansas City, MO and New York, NY), and were completed over two decades apart.

What this will allow us to see, is how the same firm's approach adapted to different places in different periods of time.

The Random House Tower is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 682ft (208m) with 52 floors above ground, while the BMA Tower reaches 272ft (83m) with 19 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.

The BMA Tower was designed in the International Style style, while the Random House Tower reflects the principles of Contemporary.

At the time of their completion, both styles were well established. This makes the comparison especially interesting, because both buildings represent a dominant aesthetic at a particular point in time.

Built 40 years apart (1963 vs 2003), these two buildings are a perfect example of how different architectural styles have shaped the architectural landscape of our cities over time.

The Random House Tower follows a mixed-use model, combining commercial and residential. In contrast, the BMA Tower has remained primarily residential.

Originally, the BMA Tower was designed for commercial, but over time it was converted to residential. The Random House Tower by contrast has maintained its original role.

In terms of capacity, the BMA Tower offers 106 apartments, while the Random House Tower provides 101 units.

The Random House Tower also provides 150 parking spaces.

Both towers share the same structural solution, a Frame 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.

However, when it comes to the facade, both buildings use different approaches. The BMA Tower uses a Window Wall facade, while the Random House Tower uses a Curtain Wall facade.

A Window Wall facade like the one seen in the BMA Tower uses panels fitted between floor slabs, leaving slab edges visible, while a curtain-wall facade like the one seen in the Random House Tower uses a lightweight glass curtain wall hung from the structure.