State Office Building vs Tenney Building

State Office Building
Tenney Building

Comparing the State Office Building and the Tenney Building is interesting because they both stand in Madison, WI, and were completed just one year apart, 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.

Height
54m
Floors
13

Height & Size

Height
38m
Floors
10

The State Office Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 177ft (54m) with 13 floors above ground, while the Tenney Building reaches 125ft (38m) with 10 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
Art Deco

Architectural Style

Style
Art Deco

Both the State Office Building and the Tenney 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 Arthur Peabody and Law, Law & Potter followed what was in many ways expected of them, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms, rather than breaking with convention.

Main use
Governmental

Uses

Main use
Commercial

The State Office Building is primarily governmental, while the Tenney Building is primarily commercial.

Structure
Frame
Facade
Masonry

Structure & Facade

Structure
Frame
Facade
Masonry

Both the State Office Building and the Tenney 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.

State Office Building Tenney Building
Arthur Peabody Architect Law, Law & Potter
1929 Design Ended 1928
1930 Construction Started 1929
1931 Year Completed 1930
Art Deco Architectural Style Art Deco
Governmental Current Use Commercial
13 Floors Above Ground 10
54 m Height (m) 38 m
Frame Structure Type Frame
Conrete Vertical Structure Material Steel
Concrete Horizontal Structure Material Concrete
Granite Main Facade Material Limestone
State Of Wisconsin Developer Charles H. Tenney
WI State WI
Madison City Madison
1 W Wilson Street Address 110 E. Main Street