One Magnificent Mile Building vs 7 World Trade Center

Comparing the One Magnificent Mile Building and the 7 World Trade Center is compelling because they were both designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, yet they stand in different cities (Chicago, IL and New York, NY), and were completed over two decades apart.

What this will allow us to see, is how the same firm's approach adapted to different places in different periods of time.

These two towers present an interesting contrast in their proportions. The 7 World Trade Center rises higher at 741ft (226m), while the One Magnificent Mile Building reaches 673ft (205m). However, the One Magnificent Mile Building accommodates more floors with 57 levels above ground, compared to 51 floors in the 7 World Trade Center.

This suggests different approaches to interior space design. The 7 World Trade Center has an average floor-to-floor height of approximately 4.4m, while the One Magnificent Mile Building 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.

The One Magnificent Mile Building was designed in the Postmodernism style, while the 7 World Trade Center reflects the principles of Contemporary.

At the time of their completion, both styles were well established. This makes the comparison especially interesting, because both buildings represent a dominant aesthetic at a particular point in time.

Built 23 years apart (1983 vs 2006), these two buildings are a perfect example of how different architectural styles have shaped the architectural landscape of our cities over time.

The One Magnificent Mile Building follows a mixed-use model, combining retail, commercial and residential. In contrast, the 7 World Trade Center has remained primarily commercial.

The One Magnificent Mile Building offers 182 residential units.

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 Magnificent Mile Building uses a Modular facade, while the 7 World Trade Center uses a Curtain Wall facade.

A Modular facade like the one seen in the One Magnificent Mile Building employs prefabricated panels, often mixing solid surfaces with smaller windows, while a curtain-wall facade like the one seen in the 7 World Trade Center uses a lightweight glass curtain wall hung from the structure.