Equitable Life Building vs Chase Tower

Comparing the Equitable Life Building and the Chase Tower is an interesting exercise, because even though they are located in different cities (Los Angeles, CA and Phoenix, AZ), both were designed by Welton Becket & Associates and finished within within 3 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.

The Chase Tower is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 482ft (147m) with 40 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 Chase Tower reflects the principles of Modern.

The Chase Tower represents a late expression of the Modern, a style already in decline in 1972 when it was completed. By contrast, the Equitable Life Building followed the then mainstream International Style, embodying the dominant architectural direction of its time.

Both the Equitable Life Building and the Chase Tower 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 Chase Tower 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.