One Magnificent Mile Building vs One World Trade Center

Comparing the One Magnificent Mile Building and the One 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.

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 Magnificent Mile Building reaches 673ft (205m) with 57 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.

The One Magnificent Mile Building was designed in the Postmodernism style, while the One 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 31 years apart (1983 vs 2014), 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 One World Trade Center has remained primarily commercial.

The One Magnificent Mile Building offers 182 residential units.

The two buildings opted for different structural and facade solutions.

The One Magnificent Mile Building uses a Frame 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.

And when it came to the facade, the Modular went with a Modular facade, which employs prefabricated panels, often mixing solid surfaces with smaller windows, while the One World Trade Center opted for a Curtain Wall facade, that uses a lightweight glass curtain wall hung from the structure.