220 Central Park South Tower vs Comcast Center

Comparing the 220 Central Park South Tower and the Comcast Center is compelling because they were both designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, yet they stand in different cities (New York, NY and Philadelphia, PA), and were completed a decade apart.

What this will allow us to see, is how the same firm's approach adapted to different places at roughly the same time (10 years isn't that much time when it comes to urban context and architecture).

These two towers present an interesting contrast in their proportions. The Comcast Center rises higher at 974ft (297m), while the 220 Central Park South Tower reaches 951ft (290m). However, the 220 Central Park South Tower accommodates more floors with 65 levels above ground, compared to 58 floors in the Comcast Center.

This suggests different approaches to interior space design. The Comcast Center has an average floor-to-floor height of approximately 5.1m, while the 220 Central Park South Tower has more compact floors averaging around 4.5m 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 220 Central Park South Tower and the Comcast Center were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Contemporary style.

At the time, this style was at the height of its popularity. So Robert A.M. Stern 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.

The 220 Central Park South Tower is primarily residential, while the Comcast Center is primarily commercial.

The 220 Central Park South Tower offers 117 residential units.

The Comcast Center also provides 120 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 220 Central Park South Tower uses a Modular facade, while the Comcast Center uses a Curtain Wall facade.

A Modular facade like the one seen in the 220 Central Park South Tower employs prefabricated panels, often mixing solid surfaces with smaller windows, while a curtain-wall facade like the one seen in the Comcast Center uses a lightweight glass curtain wall hung from the structure.