One Chicago West Tower vs Park Tower at Transbay

Comparing the One Chicago West Tower and the Park Tower at Transbay is an interesting exercise, because even though they are located in different cities (Chicago, IL and San Francisco, CA), both were designed by Goettsch Partners and finished within within 3 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.

These two towers present an interesting contrast in their proportions. The Park Tower at Transbay rises higher at 604ft (184m), while the One Chicago West Tower reaches 574ft (175m). However, the One Chicago West Tower accommodates more floors with 49 levels above ground, compared to 43 floors in the Park Tower at Transbay.

This suggests different approaches to interior space design. The Park Tower at Transbay has an average floor-to-floor height of approximately 4.3m, while the One Chicago West Tower has more compact floors averaging around 3.6m each. The taller building's more generous floor heights might indicate grander interior spaces, higher ceilings, or different programmatic requirements.

These different proportions likely reflect the specific needs each building was designed to serve, whether driven by zoning regulations, client requirements, or the intended use of the spaces within. The contrast shows how architects can achieve different spatial experiences even when working with similar overall building scales.

Both the One Chicago West Tower and the Park Tower at Transbay 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 Goettsch Partners 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 Chicago West Tower is primarily residential, while the Park Tower at Transbay is primarily commercial.

The One Chicago West Tower offers 391 residential units.

Both towers provide significant parking capacity, with One Chicago West Tower offering 1100 spaces and the Park Tower at Transbay offering 117.

Both the One Chicago West Tower and the Park Tower at Transbay 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.