Inland Steel Building vs University Club Tower

Comparing the Inland Steel Building and the University Club Tower is compelling because they were both designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, yet they stand in different cities (Chicago, IL and Milwaukee, WI), and were completed over two decades 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 University Club Tower is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 446ft (136m) with 34 floors above ground, while the Inland Steel Building reaches 331ft (101m) with 19 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 Inland Steel Building was designed in the International Style style, while the University Club Tower reflects the principles of Contemporary.

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.

Built 49 years apart (1958 vs 2007), these two buildings are a perfect example of how different architectural styles have shaped the architectural landscape of our cities over time.

The Inland Steel Building is primarily commercial, while the University Club Tower is primarily residential.

The University Club Tower offers 53 residential units.

The University Club Tower also provides 106 parking spaces.

Both towers share the same structural solution, a Frame 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.

However, when it comes to the facade, both buildings use different approaches. The Inland Steel Building uses a Curtain Wall facade, while the University Club Tower uses a Modular facade.

A Curtain Wall facade like the one seen in the Inland Steel Building uses a lightweight glass curtain wall hung from the structure, while a modular facade like the one seen in the University Club Tower employs prefabricated panels, often mixing solid surfaces with smaller windows.