David Stott Building vs Detroit Free Press Building

Comparing the David Stott Building and the Detroit Free Press Building is interesting because they both stand in Detroit, MI, 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.

The David Stott Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 436ft (133m) with 38 floors above ground, while the Detroit Free Press Building reaches 190ft (58m) with 14 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 David Stott Building and the Detroit Free Press Building were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Art Deco style.

At the time, this style was at the height of its popularity. So both Donaldson and Meier and Albert Kahn Associates followed what was in many ways expected of them, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms, rather than breaking with convention.

Both the David Stott Building and the Detroit Free Press Building are primarily residential towers, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

However, both of them have shifted purpose since their completion. The David Stott Building evolved from commercial to residential, while the Detroit Free Press Building moved from commercial to residential.

In terms of capacity, the David Stott Building offers 107 apartments, while the Detroit Free Press Building provides 105 units.

The Detroit Free Press Building also provides 105 parking spaces.

Both the David Stott Building and the Detroit Free Press Building 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.