Equitable Life Building vs First Bank and Trust Tower

Comparing the Equitable Life Building and the First Bank and Trust Tower is compelling because they were both designed by Welton Becket & Associates, yet they stand in different cities (Los Angeles, CA and New Orleans, LA), 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 First Bank and Trust Tower is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 482ft (147m) with 36 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 First Bank and Trust Tower 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 First Bank and Trust 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.

The First Bank and Trust Tower also provides 520 parking spaces.

Both the Equitable Life Building and the First Bank and Trust 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.