One Liberty Plaza Building vs 7 World Trade Center

Comparing the One Liberty Plaza Building and the 7 World Trade Center is particularly interesting because they share the same skyline in New York, NY, and were both designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. However, they were completed more than 34 years apart.

This offers a unique perspective on how the architect's style and the city's architecture evolved over time.

The One Liberty Plaza Building was designed in the International Style style, while the 7 World Trade Center reflects the principles of Contemporary.

The One Liberty Plaza Building represents a late expression of the International Style, a style already in decline in 1972 when it was completed. By contrast, the 7 World Trade Center followed the then mainstream Contemporary, embodying the dominant architectural direction of its time.

With 34 years between them, the comparison also reflects how quickly architectural priorities can shift from one dominant language to another.

Both the One Liberty Plaza Building and the 7 World Trade Center were designed to serve as commercial towers, and that has remained their main use since their completion, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

Both the One Liberty Plaza Building and the 7 World Trade Center 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.