National Bank of North Philadelphia vs One South Broad Building

Comparing the National Bank of North Philadelphia and the One South Broad Building is interesting because they both stand in Philadelphia, PA, and were completed just one year apart, but they were designed by different architects.

This offers a unique glimpse at how rival designers approached projects in the same city during the same era.

The One South Broad Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 472ft (144m) with 28 floors above ground, while the National Bank of North Philadelphia reaches 0ft (m) with 14 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 National Bank of North Philadelphia and the One South Broad Building 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 both William H. Lee and John Torrey Windrim followed what was in many ways expected of them, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms, rather than breaking with convention.

The National Bank of North Philadelphia is primarily residential, while the One South Broad Building is primarily commercial.

Originally, the National Bank of North Philadelphia was designed for commercial, but over time it was converted to residential. The One South Broad Building by contrast has maintained its original role.

Both the National Bank of North Philadelphia and the One South Broad Building 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.