Promontory Apartments vs Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse

Promontory Apartments
Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse

Comparing the Promontory Apartments and the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse is particularly interesting because they share the same skyline in Chicago, IL, and were both designed by Mies van der Rohe. However, they were completed more than 15 years apart.

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

Height
66.5m
Floors
22

Height & Size

Height
117m
Floors
27

The Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 384ft (117m) with 27 floors above ground, while the Promontory Apartments reaches 218ft (66.5m) with 22 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 Promontory Apartments and the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse 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 Mies van der Rohe followed what was in many ways expected at the time, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms rather, than breaking with convention.

Main use
Residential

Uses

Main use
Governmental

The Promontory Apartments is primarily residential, while the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse is primarily governmental.

The Promontory Apartments offers 122 residential units.

Structure
Frame
Facade
Window Wall

Structure & Facade

Structure
Frame
Facade
Curtain Wall

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 Promontory Apartments uses a Window Wall facade, while the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse uses a Curtain Wall facade.

A Window Wall facade like the one seen in the Promontory Apartments uses panels fitted between floor slabs, leaving slab edges visible, while a curtain-wall facade like the one seen in the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse uses a lightweight glass curtain wall hung from the structure.

Promontory Apartments Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse
Mies van der Rohe Architect Mies van der Rohe
1947 Construction Started 1960
1949 Year Completed 1964
International Style Architectural Style International Style
Residential Current Use Governmental
22 Floors Above Ground 27
1 Floors Below Ground 3
66.5 m Height (m) 117 m
Frame Structure Type Frame
Concrete Vertical Structure Material Steel
Concrete Horizontal Structure Material Reinforced Concrete
No Facade Structural? No
Brick Main Facade Material Glass, Steel, Aluminum
IL State IL
Chicago City Chicago
5530–5532 South Shore Dr. Address 219 South Dearborn Street