One Bennett Park Building vs Four Seasons New York Downtown

Comparing the One Bennett Park Building and the Four Seasons New York Downtown is an interesting exercise, because even though they are located in different cities (Chicago, IL and New York, NY), both were designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects and finished within within 2 years of each other. This gives us the chance to see how the same architect's ideas were expressed in different urban contexts almost simultaneously.

The Four Seasons New York Downtown is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 925ft (282m) with 82 floors above ground, while the One Bennett Park Building reaches 837ft (255m) with 69 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 One Bennett Park Building and the Four Seasons New York Downtown 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 Robert A.M. Stern Architects 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 Four Seasons New York Downtown follows a mixed-use model, combining residential and hotel. In contrast, the One Bennett Park Building has remained primarily residential.

The Four Seasons New York Downtown incorporates a 5-star hotel with 189 rooms. More information is available at the official website.

In terms of capacity, the One Bennett Park Building offers 350 apartments, while the Four Seasons New York Downtown provides 157 units.

Both the One Bennett Park Building and the Four Seasons New York Downtown 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 Modular facade.

A modular facade is made of prefabricated panels, sometimes resembling stone or masonry, combined with smaller windows. It provides variety while maintaining efficiency in installation.