River Point Tower vs Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons

Comparing the River Point Tower and the Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons is an interesting exercise, because even though they are located in different cities (Chicago, IL and Milwaukee, WI), both were designed by Pickard Chilton and finished within in the same year. This gives us the chance to see how the same architect's ideas were expressed in different urban contexts almost simultaneously.

The River Point Tower is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 732ft (223m) with 52 floors above ground, while the Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons reaches 554ft (169m) with 32 floors above ground.

River Point Tower also offers more total built-up area, a total fo 1,799,993 sqf (167,225m²), which is about 699,923 sqf (65,025m²) more than what the Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons offers.

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 River Point Tower and the Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons 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 Pickard Chilton followed what was in many ways expected at the time, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms rather, than breaking with convention.

Both the River Point Tower and the Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons were designed to serve as commercial towers, and that has remained their main use since their completion, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

The River Point Tower also provides 160 parking spaces.

The two towers rely on different structural systems, reflecting distinct engineering strategies.

The River Point Tower uses a Framed Tube In Tube structural system, which combines a strong central core with a perimeter tube of columns, while the Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons uses a Frame system, that relies on a regular grid of columns and beams to sustain its weight.

Yet, when it comes to their facade, they both employed the same solution, 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.