One International Place Building vs Ally Detroit Center

Comparing the One International Place Building and the Ally Detroit Center is compelling because they were both designed by Johnson/Burgee Architects, yet they stand in different cities (Boston, MA and Detroit, MI), and were completed more than 6 years apart.

What this will allow us to see, is how the same firm's approach adapted to different places at roughly the same time (6 years isn't that much time when it comes to urban context and architecture).

These two towers present an interesting contrast in their proportions. The Ally Detroit Center rises higher at 607ft (185m), while the One International Place Building reaches 600ft (183m). However, the One International Place Building accommodates more floors with 46 levels above ground, compared to 43 floors in the Ally Detroit Center.

This suggests different approaches to interior space design. The Ally Detroit Center has an average floor-to-floor height of approximately 4.3m, while the One International Place Building has more compact floors averaging around 4m each.

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 International Place Building and the Ally Detroit Center were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Postmodernism style.

The Ally Detroit Center was designed at a moment when the Postmodernism style was already in decline, making it more of a lingering expression of the movement. In contrast, the One International Place Building was built when the style still carried greater cultural weight.

Both the One International Place Building and the Ally Detroit Center are primarily commercial towers, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

Both towers provide significant parking capacity, with One International Place Building offering 400 spaces and the Ally Detroit Center offering 2070.

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 International Place Building uses a Window Wall facade, while the Ally Detroit Center uses a Curtain Wall facade.

A Window Wall facade like the one seen in the One International Place Building uses panels fitted between floor slabs, leaving slab edges visible, while a curtain-wall facade like the one seen in the Ally Detroit Center uses a lightweight glass curtain wall hung from the structure.