One PPG Place vs Two International Place Building

One PPG Place
Two International Place Building

Comparing the One PPG Place and the Two International Place Building is compelling because they were both designed by Johnson/Burgee Architects, yet they stand in different cities (Pittsburgh, PA and Boston, MA), and were completed more than 8 years apart.

What this will allow us to see, is how the same firm's approach adapted to different places at roughly the same time (8 years isn't that much time when it comes to urban context and architecture).

Height
194m
Floors
40

Height & Size

Height
164m
Floors
35

The One PPG Place is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 636ft (194m) with 40 floors above ground, while the Two International Place Building reaches 538ft (164m) with 35 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
Postmodernism

Architectural Style

Style
Postmodernism

Both the One PPG Place and the Two International Place Building were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Postmodernism style.

The Two International Place Building was designed at a moment when the Postmodernism style was already in decline, making it more of a lingering expression of the movement. In contrast, the One PPG Place was built when the style still carried greater cultural weight.

Main use
Commercial

Uses

Main use
Commercial

Both the One PPG Place and the Two International Place Building were designed to serve as commercial towers, and that has remained their main use since their completion, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

The One PPG Place also provides 700 parking spaces.

Structure
Frame
Facade
Curtain Wall

Structure & Facade

Structure
Framed Tube In Tube
Facade
Modular

The two buildings opted for different structural and facade solutions.

The One PPG Place uses a Frame system, which relies on a regular grid of columns and beams to sustain its weight, while the Two International Place Building 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 Curtain Wall went with a Curtain Wall facade, which uses a lightweight glass curtain wall hung from the structure, while the Two International Place Building opted for a Modular facade, that employs prefabricated panels, often mixing solid surfaces with smaller windows.

One PPG Place Two International Place Building
Johnson/Burgee Architects Architect Johnson/Burgee Architects
1981 Construction Started 1987
1984 Year Completed 1992
Postmodernism Architectural Style Postmodernism
Commercial Current Use Commercial
40 Floors Above Ground 35
194 m Height (m) 164 m
21 Number of Elevators 38
Frame Structure Type Framed Tube In Tube
Steel Vertical Structure Material Steel
Reinforced Concrete Horizontal Structure Material Reinforced Concrete
No Facade Structural? Yes
Mellon Stuart Construction And Blount Brothers Construction Main Contractor Turner Construction
PPG Industries Developer The Chiofaro Company
Robertson, Fowler & Associates P.C. Structural Engineer McNamara/Salvia, Inc.
PA State MA
Pittsburgh City Boston
101 125 Third Avenue Address 2 International Place