Chicago Tribune Tower vs Randolph Tower

Comparing the Chicago Tribune Tower and the Randolph Tower is interesting because they both stand in Chicago, IL, and were completed within 4 years of each other, but they were designed by different architects.

This offers a unique glimpse at how rival designers approached projects in the same city during the same era.

Both the Chicago Tribune Tower and the Randolph Tower were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Neogothic style.

Both buildings were completed when the Neogothic 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.

Both the Chicago Tribune Tower and the Randolph Tower are primarily residential towers, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

However, both of them have shifted purpose since their completion. The Chicago Tribune Tower evolved from commercial to residential, while the Randolph Tower moved from commercial to residential.

In terms of capacity, the Chicago Tribune Tower offers 162 apartments, while the Randolph Tower provides 312 units.

Both the Chicago Tribune Tower and the Randolph 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 Masonry facade.

A masonry facade gives the building a heavier, more traditional appearance. It often conceals a frame structure behind it, creating the look of solid walls without carrying the main loads.