Equitable Life Building vs BNY Mellon Center Pittsburgh Building

Comparing the Equitable Life Building and the BNY Mellon Center Pittsburgh Building is compelling because they were both designed by Welton Becket & Associates, yet they stand in different cities (Los Angeles, CA and Pittsburgh, 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 in different periods of time.

The BNY Mellon Center Pittsburgh Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 725ft (221m) with 54 floors above ground, while the Equitable Life Building reaches 453ft (138m) with 34 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.

The Equitable Life Building was designed in the International Style style, while the BNY Mellon Center Pittsburgh Building reflects the principles of Postmodernism.

At the time of their completion, both styles were well established. This makes the comparison especially interesting, because both buildings represent a dominant aesthetic at a particular point in time.

Both the Equitable Life Building and the BNY Mellon Center Pittsburgh 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 the Equitable Life Building and the BNY Mellon Center Pittsburgh 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 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.