Federal Reserve Bank Building vs Two International Place Building

Comparing the Federal Reserve Bank Building and the Two International Place Building is interesting because they both rise in Boston, MA, yet they were conceived by two different design teams, Stubbins and Associates and Johnson/Burgee Architects, and were completed at different points in time. They were finished more than a decade apart.

This contrast within the same city allows us to see how different creative minds interpreted the evolving needs of Boston across time.

Let's take a closer look!

These two towers present an interesting contrast in their proportions. The Federal Reserve Bank Building rises higher at 614ft (187m), while the Two International Place Building reaches 538ft (164m). However, the Two International Place Building accommodates more floors with 35 levels above ground, compared to 32 floors in the Federal Reserve Bank Building.

This suggests different approaches to interior space design. The Federal Reserve Bank Building has an average floor-to-floor height of approximately 5.8m, while the Two International Place Building has more compact floors averaging around 4.7m 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 Federal Reserve Bank Building and the Two International Place Building were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Postmodernism style.

The Two International Place Building was designed at a moment when the Postmodernism style was already in decline, making it more of a lingering expression of the movement. In contrast, the Federal Reserve Bank Building was built when the style still carried greater cultural weight.

Both the Federal Reserve Bank Building and the Two International Place 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.

These two towers illustrate the many possible ways to combine structure and enclosure in skyscraper design.