The Bell Building vs LaSalle-Wacker Building

Comparing the The Bell Building and the LaSalle-Wacker Building is particularly interesting because they share the same skyline in Chicago, IL, and were both designed by Holabird & Root. However, they were completed more than 36 years apart.

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

The LaSalle-Wacker Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 512ft (156m) with 41 floors above ground, while the The Bell Building reaches 427ft (130m) with 31 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 The Bell Building was designed in the Modern style, while the LaSalle-Wacker Building reflects the principles of Art Deco.

The The Bell Building represents a late expression of the Modern, a style already in decline in 1966 when it was completed. By contrast, the LaSalle-Wacker Building followed the then mainstream Art Deco, embodying the dominant architectural direction of its time.

With 36 years between them, the comparison also reflects how quickly architectural priorities can shift from one dominant language to another.

The The Bell Building is primarily , while the LaSalle-Wacker Building is primarily commercial.

Originally, the The Bell Building was designed for commercial, but over time it was converted to . The LaSalle-Wacker Building by contrast has maintained its original role.

The LaSalle-Wacker Building also provides 95 parking spaces.

The two buildings opted for different structural and facade solutions.

The The Bell Building uses a Framed Tube In Tube system, which combines a strong central core with a perimeter tube of columns, while the LaSalle-Wacker Building uses a Frame system, that relies on a regular grid of columns and beams to sustain its weight.

And when it came to the facade, the Curtain Wall went with a Curtain Wall facade, which uses a lightweight glass curtain wall hung from the structure, while the LaSalle-Wacker Building opted for a Masonry facade, that features a heavy masonry skin that gives it a more clasical look.