Field Building vs Chicago Board of Trade Building

Comparing the Field Building and the Chicago Board of Trade Building is interesting because they both stand in Chicago, IL, and were completed within 5 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.

These two towers present an interesting contrast in their proportions. The Chicago Board of Trade Building rises higher at 604ft (184m), while the Field Building reaches 535ft (163.1m). However, the Field Building accommodates more floors with 45 levels above ground, compared to 44 floors in the Chicago Board of Trade Building.

This suggests different approaches to interior space design. The Chicago Board of Trade Building has an average floor-to-floor height of approximately 4.2m, while the Field Building has more compact floors averaging around 3.6m 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 Field Building and the Chicago Board of Trade Building were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Art Deco style.

The Chicago Board of Trade Building was designed at a moment when the Art Deco style was already in decline, making it more of a lingering expression of the movement. In contrast, the Field Building was built when the style still carried greater cultural weight.

Both the Field Building and the Chicago Board of Trade Building are primarily commercial towers, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

Originally, the Field Building was designed for Office. Bank. Radio Station, but over time it was converted to commercial. The Chicago Board of Trade Building by contrast has maintained its original role.

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