One Liberty Plaza Building vs One World Trade Center

One Liberty Plaza Building
One World Trade Center

Comparing the One Liberty Plaza Building and the One 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 42 years apart.

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

Height
226m
Floors
54

Height & Size

Height
541m
Floors
104

The One World Trade Center is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 1775ft (541m) with 104 floors above ground, while the One Liberty Plaza Building reaches 741ft (226m) with 54 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.

Style
International Style

Architectural Style

Style
Contemporary

The One Liberty Plaza Building was designed in the International Style style, while the One 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 One World Trade Center followed the then mainstream Contemporary, embodying the dominant architectural direction of its time.

With 42 years between them, the comparison also reflects how quickly architectural priorities can shift from one dominant language to another.

Main use
Commercial

Uses

Main use
Commercial

Both the One Liberty Plaza Building and the One 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.

Structure
Frame
Facade
Curtain Wall

Structure & Facade

Structure
Framed Tube In Tube
Facade
Curtain Wall

The two towers rely on different structural systems, reflecting distinct engineering strategies.

The One Liberty Plaza Building uses a Frame structural system, which relies on a regular grid of columns and beams to sustain its weight, while the One World Trade Center uses a Framed Tube In Tube system, that combines a strong central core with a perimeter tube of columns.

Yet, when it comes to their facade, they both employed the same solution, 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.

One Liberty Plaza Building One World Trade Center
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Architect Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
1969 Construction Started 2006
1972 Year Completed 2014
International Style Architectural Style Contemporary
Commercial Current Use Commercial
54 Floors Above Ground 104
3 Floors Below Ground 5
214 Last Floor Height 386
226 m Height (m) 541 m
39 Number of Elevators 73
Frame Structure Type Framed Tube In Tube
Steel Vertical Structure Material Steel
Concrete And Steel Horizontal Structure Material Poured Concrete Over Metal Decking
Yes Facade Structural? No
Glass, Steel Main Facade Material Glass, Steel
Turner Construction Company Main Contractor Tishman Construction
U.S. Steel Corporation Developer Port Authority Of New York And New Jersey
Otis Elevator Company Elevator Company Thyssenkrupp
SYSKA Hennessy Group MEP Engineer Jaros Baum & Bolles
Weidlinger Associates Structural Engineer WSP Group
NY State NY
New York City New York
165 Broadway Address 285 Fulton Street