One Magnificent Mile Building vs Random House Tower

Comparing the One Magnificent Mile Building and the Random House Tower 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 Random House Tower rises higher at 682ft (208m), 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 52 floors in the Random House Tower.

This suggests different approaches to interior space design. The Random House Tower has an average floor-to-floor height of approximately 4m, while the One Magnificent Mile Building has more compact floors averaging around 3.6m 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.

The One Magnificent Mile Building was designed in the Postmodernism style, while the Random House Tower 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 20 years apart (1983 vs 2003), these two buildings are a perfect example of how different architectural styles have shaped the architectural landscape of our cities over time.

Both towers follow a mixed-use program. The One Magnificent Mile Building combines retail, commercial and residential, while the Random House Tower integrates commercial and residential. Notably, both include commercial and residential as part of their program.

In terms of capacity, the One Magnificent Mile Building offers 182 apartments, while the Random House Tower provides 101 units.

The Random House Tower also provides 150 parking spaces.

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 Random House Tower 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 Random House Tower uses a lightweight glass curtain wall hung from the structure.