Kluczynski Federal Building vs Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse

Comparing the Kluczynski Federal Building and the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse is particularly interesting because they share the same skyline in Chicago, IL, and were both designed by Mies van der Rohe. However, they were completed more than 11 years apart.

This offers a unique perspective on how the architect's style and the city's architecture evolved over time.

The Kluczynski Federal Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 561ft (171m) with 42 floors above ground, while the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse reaches 384ft (117m) with 27 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 Kluczynski Federal Building and the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the International Style style.

The Kluczynski Federal Building was designed at a moment when the International Style style was already in decline, making it more of a lingering expression of the movement. In contrast, the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse style was already in decline, making it more of a lingering expression of the movement. In contrast, the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse was built when the style still carried greater cultural weight.

Both the Kluczynski Federal Building and the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse were designed to serve as governmental towers, and that has remained their main use since their completion, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

Both the Kluczynski Federal Building and the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse rely on a Frame structural 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.

They also employ the same type of facade, 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.