One Beacon Street Building vs 383 Madison Avenue Building

One Beacon Street Building
383 Madison Avenue Building

Comparing the One Beacon Street Building and the 383 Madison Avenue Building is compelling because they were both designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, yet they stand in different cities (Boston, MA and New York, NY), and were completed over two decades 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
154m
Floors
36

Height & Size

Height
230m
Floors
47

The 383 Madison Avenue Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 755ft (230m) with 47 floors above ground, while the One Beacon Street Building reaches 505ft (154m) with 36 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
International Style

Architectural Style

Style
Contemporary

The One Beacon Street Building was designed in the International Style style, while the 383 Madison Avenue Building reflects the principles of Contemporary.

The One Beacon Street Building represents a late expression of the International Style, a style already in decline in 1972 when it was completed. By contrast, the 383 Madison Avenue Building followed the then mainstream Contemporary, embodying the dominant architectural direction of its time.

With 29 years between them, the comparison also reflects how quickly architectural priorities can shift from one dominant language to another.

Main use
Commercial

Uses

Main use
Commercial

Both the One Beacon Street Building and the 383 Madison Avenue Building were designed to serve as commercial towers, and that has remained their main use since their completion, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

Structure
Frame
Facade
Window Wall

Structure & Facade

Structure
Frame
Facade
Modular

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 One Beacon Street Building uses a Window Wall facade, while the 383 Madison Avenue Building uses a Modular facade.

A Window Wall facade like the one seen in the One Beacon Street Building uses panels fitted between floor slabs, leaving slab edges visible, while a modular facade like the one seen in the 383 Madison Avenue Building employs prefabricated panels, often mixing solid surfaces with smaller windows.

One Beacon Street Building 383 Madison Avenue Building
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Architect Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
1971 Construction Started 1999
1972 Year Completed 2001
International Style Architectural Style Contemporary
Commercial Current Use Commercial
36 Floors Above Ground 47
154 m Height (m) 230 m
Frame Structure Type Frame
Steel Vertical Structure Material Steel
Concrete, And Steel Horizontal Structure Material Poured Concrete Over Metal Decking
Yes Facade Structural? No
Precast Concrete Panels Main Facade Material Granite, Glass
Turner Construction Main Contractor Turner Construction Company
MA State NY
Boston City New York
1 Beacon Street Address 383 Madison Avenue