The Harrison Building vs The Hub on Causeway Residential Tower

Comparing the The Harrison Building and the The Hub on Causeway Residential Tower is an interesting exercise, because even though they are located in different cities (San Francisco, CA and Boston, MA), both were designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz and finished within within 5 years of each other. This gives us the chance to see how the same architect's ideas were expressed in different urban contexts almost simultaneously.

Both the The Harrison Building and the The Hub on Causeway Residential Tower were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Contemporary style.

At the time, this style was at the height of its popularity. So Solomon Cordwell Buenz followed what was in many ways expected at the time, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms rather, than breaking with convention.

Both the The Harrison Building and the The Hub on Causeway Residential Tower were designed to serve as residential towers, and that has remained their main use since their completion, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

In terms of capacity, the The Harrison Building offers 298 apartments, while the The Hub on Causeway Residential Tower provides 440 units.

The The Hub on Causeway Residential Tower also provides 500 parking spaces.

Both the The Harrison Building and the The Hub on Causeway Residential Tower 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 Curtain Wall facade.

A curtain wall is a non-load-bearing facade hung from the structural frame. It is anchored to floor slabs and transfers only its own weight and wind loads, allowing for sleek, glassy exteriors.