Terminal Commerce Building vs National Bank of North Philadelphia

Comparing the Terminal Commerce Building and the National Bank of North Philadelphia is interesting because they both stand in Philadelphia, PA, and were completed within 2 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.

Both the Terminal Commerce Building and the National Bank of North Philadelphia 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 Steele, William & Sons and William H. Lee followed what was in many ways expected of them, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms, rather than breaking with convention.

The Terminal Commerce Building is primarily commercial, while the National Bank of North Philadelphia is primarily residential.

However, both of them have shifted purpose since their completion. The Terminal Commerce Building evolved from governmental to commercial, while the National Bank of North Philadelphia moved from commercial to residential.

The Terminal Commerce Building also provides 500 parking spaces.

Both the Terminal Commerce Building and the National Bank of North Philadelphia 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.