Three Illinois Center vs University Apartments

Three Illinois Center
University Apartments

Comparing the Three Illinois Center and the University Apartments is interesting because they both rise in Chicago, IL, yet they were conceived by two different design teams, Fujikawa Conterato Lohan and Associates and I. M. Pei, and were completed at different points in time. They were finished more than a decade apart.

This contrast within the same city allows us to see how different creative minds interpreted the evolving needs of Chicago across time.

Let's take a closer look!

Height
107m
Floors
28

Height & Size

Height
94m
Floors
10

The Three Illinois Center is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 351ft (107m) with 28 floors above ground, while the University Apartments reaches 308ft (94m) 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
International Style

Architectural Style

Style
International Style

Both the Three Illinois Center and the University Apartments were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the International Style style.

The Three Illinois Center was designed at a moment when the International Style style was already in decline, making it more of a lingering expression of the movement. In contrast, the University Apartments style was already in decline, making it more of a lingering expression of the movement. In contrast, the University Apartments was built when the style still carried greater cultural weight.

Main use
Commercial

Uses

Main use
Residential

The Three Illinois Center is primarily commercial, while the University Apartments is primarily residential.

The University Apartments offers 540 residential units.

Both towers provide significant parking capacity, with Three Illinois Center offering 294 spaces and the University Apartments offering 220.

Structure
Frame
Facade
Curtain Wall

Structure & Facade

Structure
Frame
Facade
Window Wall

Both towers share the same structural solution, a Frame 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.

However, when it comes to the facade, both buildings use different approaches. The Three Illinois Center uses a Curtain Wall facade, while the University Apartments uses a Window Wall facade.

A Curtain Wall facade like the one seen in the Three Illinois Center uses a lightweight glass curtain wall hung from the structure, while a window-wall facade like the one seen in the University Apartments uses panels fitted between floor slabs, leaving slab edges visible.

Three Illinois Center University Apartments
Fujikawa Conterato Lohan and Associates Architect I. M. Pei
1979 Year Completed 1961
International Style Architectural Style International Style
Commercial Current Use Residential
28 Floors Above Ground 10
107 m Height (m) 94 m
19 Number of Elevators 8
Frame Structure Type Frame
No Facade Structural? Yes
Aluminum, Glass Main Facade Material Glass, Concrete
IL State IL
Chicago City Chicago
303 East Wacker Drive Address 1400 1451 E.55th Street