Continental Life Building vs Southwestern Bell Building

Comparing the Continental Life Building and the Southwestern Bell Building is interesting because they both stand in St Louis, MO, and were completed within 4 years of each other, but they were designed by different architects.

This offers a unique glimpse at how rival designers approached projects in the same city during the same era.

The Southwestern Bell Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 397ft (121m) with 26 floors above ground, while the Continental Life Building reaches 285ft (87m) 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.

Both the Continental Life Building and the Southwestern Bell Building were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Art Deco style.

At the time, this style was at the height of its popularity. So both William B. Ittner and Mauran, Russell & Crowell followed what was in many ways expected of them, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms, rather than breaking with convention.

The Continental Life Building is primarily residential, while the Southwestern Bell Building is primarily commercial.

Originally, the Continental Life Building was designed for commercial, but over time it was converted to residential. The Southwestern Bell Building by contrast has maintained its original role.

The Continental Life Building offers 107 residential units.

The Continental Life Building also provides 50 parking spaces.

Both the Continental Life Building and the Southwestern Bell Building 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 Masonry facade.

A masonry facade gives the building a heavier, more traditional appearance. It often conceals a frame structure behind it, creating the look of solid walls without carrying the main loads.