Millennium Centre vs The Harrison Building

Millennium Centre
The Harrison Building

Comparing the Millennium Centre and the The Harrison Building is compelling because they were both designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz, yet they stand in different cities (Chicago, IL and San Francisco, CA), and were completed a decade apart.

What this will allow us to see, is how the same firm's approach adapted to different places in different periods of time.

Height
185.9m
Floors
58

Height & Size

Height
151m
Floors
49

The Millennium Centre is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 610ft (185.9m) with 58 floors above ground, while the The Harrison Building reaches 495ft (151m) with 49 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.

Style
Contemporary

Architectural Style

Style
Contemporary

Both the Millennium Centre and the The Harrison Building were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Contemporary style.

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

Main use
Residential

Uses

Main use
Residential

Both the Millennium Centre and the The Harrison Building were designed to serve as residential towers, and that has remained their main use since their completion, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

In terms of capacity, the Millennium Centre offers 341 apartments, while the The Harrison Building provides 298 units.

The Millennium Centre also provides 680 parking spaces.

Structure
Frame
Facade
Modular

Structure & Facade

Structure
Frame
Facade
Curtain Wall

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 Millennium Centre uses a Modular facade, while the The Harrison Building uses a Curtain Wall facade.

A Modular facade like the one seen in the Millennium Centre employs prefabricated panels, often mixing solid surfaces with smaller windows, while a curtain-wall facade like the one seen in the The Harrison Building uses a lightweight glass curtain wall hung from the structure.

Millennium Centre The Harrison Building
Solomon Cordwell Buenz Architect Solomon Cordwell Buenz
2001 Construction Started 2012
2003 Year Completed 2014
Contemporary Architectural Style Contemporary
Residential Current Use Residential
58 Floors Above Ground 49
185.9 m Height (m) 151 m
341 Residential Units 298
Frame Structure Type Frame
Reinforced Concrete Vertical Structure Material Steel
Reinforced Concrete Horizontal Structure Material Concrete
Concrete Main Facade Material Glass
American Invsco Contractor Developer Urban Pacific, And Principal Real Estate Investors
IL State CA
Chicago City San Francisco
33 West Ontario Street Address 401 Harrison St