Field Building vs Century Tower

Field Building
Century Tower

Comparing the Field Building and the Century Tower is interesting because they both stand in Chicago, IL, and were completed within 4 years of each other, but they were designed by different architects.

This offers a unique glimpse at how rival designers approached projects in the same city during the same era.

Height
163.1m
Floors
45

Height & Size

Height
120.4m
Floors
28

The Field Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 535ft (163.1m) with 45 floors above ground, while the Century Tower reaches 395ft (120.4m) with 28 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.

Style
Art Deco

Architectural Style

Style
Art Deco

Both the Field Building and the Century Tower were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Art Deco style.

At the time, this style was at the height of its popularity. So both Graham, Anderson, Probst & White and Thielbar & Fugard followed what was in many ways expected of them, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms, rather than breaking with convention.

Main use
Commercial

Uses

Main use
Residential

The Field Building is primarily commercial, while the Century Tower is primarily residential.

However, both of them have shifted purpose since their completion. The Field Building evolved from Office. Bank. Radio Station to commercial, while the Century Tower moved from commercial to residential.

The Century Tower offers 292 residential units.

Structure
Frame
Facade

Structure & Facade

Structure
Frame
Facade
Masonry

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

Field Building Century Tower
Graham, Anderson, Probst & White Architect Thielbar & Fugard
1931 Construction Started 1929
1934 Year Completed 1930
Art Deco Architectural Style Art Deco
Office. Bank. Radio Station Original Use Commercial
Commercial Current Use Residential
45 Floors Above Ground 28
163.1 m Height (m) 120.4 m
Frame Structure Type Frame
Steel Vertical Structure Material Reinforced Concrete
No Facade Structural? No
IL State IL
Chicago City Chicago
135 South LaSalle Street Address 182 West Lake Street