G. Fred DiBona Jr. Building vs Exchange Place Building

Comparing the G. Fred DiBona Jr. Building and the Exchange Place Building is compelling because they were both designed by WZMH Architects, yet they stand in different cities (Philadelphia, PA and Boston, MA), and were completed more than 6 years apart.

What this will allow us to see, is how the same firm's approach adapted to different places at roughly the same time (6 years isn't that much time when it comes to urban context and architecture).

The G. Fred DiBona Jr. Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 564ft (172m) with 45 floors above ground, while the Exchange Place Building reaches 509ft (155m) with 40 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.

Both the G. Fred DiBona Jr. Building and the Exchange Place Building were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Postmodernism style.

At the time, this style was at the height of its popularity. So WZMH Architects followed what was in many ways expected at the time, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms rather, than breaking with convention.

Both the G. Fred DiBona Jr. Building and the Exchange 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.

The Exchange Place Building also provides 126 parking spaces.

The two towers rely on different structural systems, reflecting distinct engineering strategies.

The G. Fred DiBona Jr. Building uses a Framed Tube In Tube structural system, which combines a strong central core with a perimeter tube of columns, while the Exchange Place Building uses a Frame system, that relies on a regular grid of columns and beams to sustain its weight.

Yet, when it comes to their facade, they both employed the same solution, 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.