Chase Tower vs First Bank and Trust Tower

Comparing the Chase Tower and the First Bank and Trust Tower is compelling because they were both designed by Welton Becket & Associates, yet they stand in different cities (Phoenix, AZ and New Orleans, LA), and were completed a decade 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 Chase Tower was designed in the Modern style, while the First Bank and Trust Tower reflects the principles of Postmodernism.

The Chase Tower represents a late expression of the Modern, a style already in decline in 1972 when it was completed. By contrast, the First Bank and Trust Tower followed the then mainstream Postmodernism, embodying the dominant architectural direction of its time.

Both the Chase Tower and the First Bank and Trust 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.

The First Bank and Trust Tower also provides 520 parking spaces.

Both the Chase Tower and the First Bank and Trust 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.