One Charles Center vs Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse

Comparing the One Charles Center and the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse is an interesting exercise, because even though they are located in different cities (Baltimore, MD and Chicago, IL), both were designed by Mies van der Rohe 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 Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 384ft (117m) with 27 floors above ground, while the One Charles Center reaches 269ft (82m) with 23 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 Charles Center and the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the International Style style.

At the time, this style was at the height of its popularity. So Mies van der Rohe 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 One Charles Center is primarily commercial, while the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse is primarily governmental.

Both the One Charles Center and the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse 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 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.