One World Trade Center vs 111 West 57th Street

Comparing the One World Trade Center and the 111 West 57th Street is interesting because they both rise in New York, NY, yet they were conceived by two different design teams, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and SHoP Architects, and were completed at different points in time. They were finished more than 8 years apart.

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

Let's take a closer look!

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 111 West 57th Street reaches 1427ft (435m) with 84 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.

Both the One World Trade Center and the 111 West 57th Street were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Contemporary style.

At the time, this style was at the height of its popularity. So both Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and SHoP Architects followed what was in many ways expected of them, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms, rather than breaking with convention.

The One World Trade Center is primarily commercial, while the 111 West 57th Street is primarily residential.

The 111 West 57th Street offers 60 residential units.

The two towers rely on different structural systems, reflecting distinct engineering strategies.

The One World Trade Center uses a Framed Tube In Tube structural system, which combines a strong central core with a perimeter tube of columns, while the 111 West 57th Street uses a Frame system, that relies on a regular grid of columns and beams to sustain its weight.

Yet, when it comes to their facade, they both employed the same solution, a Curtain Wall facade.

A curtain wall is a non-load-bearing facade hung from the structural frame. It is anchored to floor slabs and transfers only its own weight and wind loads, allowing for sleek, glassy exteriors.