Devon Energy Center vs 300 North LaSalle Building

Comparing the Devon Energy Center and the 300 North LaSalle Building is an interesting exercise, because even though they are located in different cities (Oklahoma City, OK and Chicago, IL), both were designed by Pickard Chilton and finished within within 4 years of each other. 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 Devon Energy Center rises higher at 850ft (259m), while the 300 North LaSalle Building reaches 784ft (239m). However, the 300 North LaSalle Building accommodates more floors with 57 levels above ground, compared to 50 floors in the Devon Energy Center.

This suggests different approaches to interior space design. The Devon Energy Center has an average floor-to-floor height of approximately 5.2m, while the 300 North LaSalle Building has more compact floors averaging around 4.2m 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 Devon Energy Center and the 300 North LaSalle Building 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 Pickard Chilton 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 the Devon Energy Center and the 300 North LaSalle Building were designed to serve as commercial towers, and that has remained their main use since their completion, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

Both towers provide significant parking capacity, with Devon Energy Center offering 2898 spaces and the 300 North LaSalle Building offering 225.

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

The Devon Energy Center uses a Frame structural system, which relies on a regular grid of columns and beams to sustain its weight, while the 300 North LaSalle 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.