Koppers Tower vs Drury Plaza Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk

Comparing the Koppers Tower and the Drury Plaza Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk is an interesting exercise, because even though they are located in different cities (Pittsburgh, PA and San Antonio, TX), both were designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst & White and finished within just one year apart. This gives us the chance to see how the same architect's ideas were expressed in different urban contexts almost simultaneously.

The Koppers Tower is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 476ft (145m) with 34 floors above ground, while the Drury Plaza Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk reaches 279ft (85m) with 24 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 Koppers Tower and the Drury Plaza Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk 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 Graham, Anderson, Probst & White followed what was in many ways expected at the time, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms rather, than breaking with convention.

The Koppers Tower is primarily commercial, while the Drury Plaza Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk is primarily hotel.

Originally, the Drury Plaza Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk was designed for commercial, but over time it was converted to hotel. The Koppers Tower by contrast has maintained its original role.

The Drury Plaza Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk incorporates a 4-star hotel with 306 rooms. More information is available at the official website.

Both the Koppers Tower and the Drury Plaza Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk 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 Masonry facade.

A masonry facade gives the building a heavier, more traditional appearance. It often conceals a frame structure behind it, creating the look of solid walls without carrying the main loads.