Chicago Tribune Tower vs Shoreline Apartments

Comparing the Chicago Tribune Tower and the Shoreline Apartments is interesting because they both stand in Chicago, IL, and were completed within 3 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.

The Chicago Tribune Tower is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 463ft (141m) with 36 floors above ground, while the Shoreline Apartments reaches 0ft (m) with 16 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 Chicago Tribune Tower and the Shoreline Apartments 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.

The Chicago Tribune Tower is primarily residential, while the Shoreline Apartments is primarily .

Originally, the Chicago Tribune Tower was designed for commercial, but over time it was converted to residential. The Shoreline Apartments by contrast has maintained its original role.

In terms of capacity, the Chicago Tribune Tower offers 162 apartments, while the Shoreline Apartments provides 100 units.

Both the Chicago Tribune Tower and the Shoreline Apartments 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.