Park Tower vs Waldorf Astoria Chicago

Comparing the Park Tower and the Waldorf Astoria Chicago is particularly interesting because they share the same skyline in Chicago, IL, and were both designed by Lucien Lagrange Architects. However, they were completed more than 9 years apart.

This offers a unique perspective on how the architect's style and the city's architecture evolved over time.

The Park Tower is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 844ft (257.4m) with 68 floors above ground, while the Waldorf Astoria Chicago reaches 686ft (209m) with 60 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 Park Tower and the Waldorf Astoria Chicago 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 Lucien Lagrange Architects followed what was in many ways expected at the time, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms rather, than breaking with convention.

Both towers follow a mixed-use program. The Park Tower combines hotel and residential, while the Waldorf Astoria Chicago integrates residential and hotel. Notably, both include hotel and residential as part of their program.

Both towers incorporate hotels as part of their program. The Park Tower features a 5-star hotel with 203 rooms, while the Waldorf Astoria Chicago includes a 5-star hotel with 178 rooms. For more details, see the official website of the Park Tower. You can also visit the official website of the Waldorf Astoria Chicago.

In terms of capacity, the Park Tower offers 117 apartments, while the Waldorf Astoria Chicago provides 60 units.

The Waldorf Astoria Chicago also provides 121 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 Park Tower uses a Modular facade, while the Waldorf Astoria Chicago uses a Masonry facade.

A Modular facade like the one seen in the Park Tower employs prefabricated panels, often mixing solid surfaces with smaller windows, while a masonry facade like the one seen in the Waldorf Astoria Chicago features a heavy masonry skin that gives it a more clasical look.