One Prudential Plaza vs University Apartments

One Prudential Plaza
University Apartments

Comparing the One Prudential Plaza and the University Apartments is interesting because they both rise in Chicago, IL, yet they were conceived by two different design teams, Naess & Murphy and I. M. Pei, and were completed at different points in time. They were finished more than 6 years apart.

This contrast within the same city allows us to see how different creative minds interpreted the evolving needs of Chicago across time.

Let's take a closer look!

Height
183m
Floors
41

Height & Size

Height
94m
Floors
10

The One Prudential Plaza is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 600ft (183m) with 41 floors above ground, while the University Apartments reaches 308ft (94m) with 10 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
International Style

Both the One Prudential Plaza and the University Apartments were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the International Style style.

At the time, this style was at the height of its popularity. So both Naess & Murphy and I. M. Pei followed what was in many ways expected of them, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms, rather than breaking with convention.

Main use
Commercial

Uses

Main use
Residential

The One Prudential Plaza is primarily commercial, while the University Apartments is primarily residential.

The University Apartments offers 540 residential units.

The University Apartments also provides 220 parking spaces.

Structure
Frame
Facade
Window Wall

Structure & Facade

Structure
Frame
Facade
Window Wall

Both the One Prudential Plaza and the University Apartments rely on a Frame structural 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.

They also employ the same type of facade, a Window Wall facade.

A window wall system is installed between floor slabs. It is simpler and faster to build than curtain walls, but exposes slab edges and requires careful detailing to avoid thermal bridges.

One Prudential Plaza University Apartments
Naess & Murphy Architect I. M. Pei
1952 Construction Started 1959
1955 Year Completed 1961
International Style Architectural Style International Style
Commercial Current Use Residential
41 Floors Above Ground 10
2 Floors Below Ground 1
183 m Height (m) 94 m
30 Number of Elevators 8
Frame Structure Type Frame
Steel Vertical Structure Material Concrete
Collaborative Sheet Metal Floors Horizontal Structure Material Concrete
Yes Facade Structural? Yes
Glass, Limestone Main Facade Material Glass, Concrete
Naess & Murphy Structural Engineer August Komendant
IL State IL
Chicago City Chicago
130 E. Randolph Street Address 1400 1451 E.55th Street