CitySpire Building vs Two Liberty Place Building

Comparing the CitySpire Building and the Two Liberty Place Building is an interesting exercise, because even though they are located in different cities (New York, NY and Philadelphia, PA), both were designed by Murphy/Jahn Architects and finished within in the same year. This gives us the chance to see how the same architect's ideas were expressed in different urban contexts almost simultaneously.

These two towers present an interesting contrast in their proportions. The Two Liberty Place Building rises higher at 846ft (258m), while the CitySpire Building reaches 814ft (248m). However, the CitySpire Building accommodates more floors with 73 levels above ground, compared to 58 floors in the Two Liberty Place Building.

This suggests different approaches to interior space design. The Two Liberty Place Building has an average floor-to-floor height of approximately 4.4m, while the CitySpire Building has more compact floors averaging around 3.4m each. The taller building's more generous floor heights might indicate grander interior spaces, higher ceilings, or different programmatic requirements.

These different proportions likely reflect the specific needs each building was designed to serve, whether driven by zoning regulations, client requirements, or the intended use of the spaces within. The contrast shows how architects can achieve different spatial experiences even when working with similar overall building scales.

Both the CitySpire Building and the Two Liberty Place Building 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 Murphy/Jahn Architects followed what was in many ways expected at the time, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms rather, than breaking with convention.

Both towers follow a mixed-use program. The CitySpire Building combines residential and commercial, while the Two Liberty Place Building integrates residential. Notably, both include residential as part of their program.

Originally, the Two Liberty Place Building was designed for commercial, but over time it was converted to mixed. The CitySpire Building by contrast has maintained its original role.

In terms of capacity, the CitySpire Building offers 338 apartments, while the Two Liberty Place Building provides 113 units.

The Two Liberty Place Building also provides 750 parking spaces.

The two towers rely on different structural systems, reflecting distinct engineering strategies.

The CitySpire Building uses a Frame structural system, which relies on a regular grid of columns and beams to sustain its weight, while the Two Liberty Place Building uses a Framed Tube In Tube system, that combines a strong central core with a perimeter tube of columns.

Yet, when it comes to their facade, they both employed the same solution, 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.