Republic Plaza Building vs University Club Tower

Comparing the Republic Plaza Building and the University Club Tower is compelling because they were both designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, yet they stand in different cities (Denver, CO and Milwaukee, WI), and were completed over two decades apart.

What this will allow us to see, is how the same firm's approach adapted to different places in different periods of time.

The Republic Plaza Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 715ft (218m) with 56 floors above ground, while the University Club Tower reaches 446ft (136m) with 34 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.

The Republic Plaza Building was designed in the Modern style, while the University Club Tower reflects the principles of Contemporary.

The Republic Plaza Building represents a late expression of the Modern, a style already in decline in 1984 when it was completed. By contrast, the University Club Tower followed the then mainstream Contemporary, embodying the dominant architectural direction of its time.

With 23 years between them, the comparison also reflects how quickly architectural priorities can shift from one dominant language to another.

The Republic Plaza Building is primarily commercial, while the University Club Tower is primarily residential.

The University Club Tower offers 53 residential units.

The University Club Tower also provides 106 parking spaces.

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

The Republic Plaza Building uses a Framed Tube In Tube structural system, which combines a strong central core with a perimeter tube of columns, while the University Club Tower 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 Modular facade.

A modular facade is made of prefabricated panels, sometimes resembling stone or masonry, combined with smaller windows. It provides variety while maintaining efficiency in installation.