Key Tower vs Wells Fargo Center

Comparing the Key Tower and the Wells Fargo Center is an interesting exercise, because even though they are located in different cities (Cleveland, OH and Minneapolis, MN), both were designed by César Pelli & Associates and finished within within 3 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.

The Key Tower is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 948ft (289m) with 62 floors above ground, while the Wells Fargo Center reaches 774ft (236m) with 57 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 Key Tower was designed in the Postmodernism style, while the Wells Fargo Center reflects the principles of Art Deco.

Both towers were built when their respective styles were already past their prime. This makes them feel more like late continuations rather than groundbreaking statements, showing how architectural traditions can linger even as tastes shift.

Both the Key Tower and the Wells Fargo Center were designed to serve as commercial towers, and that has remained their main use since their completion, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

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 Key Tower uses a Modular facade, while the Wells Fargo Center uses a Curtain Wall facade.

A Modular facade like the one seen in the Key Tower employs prefabricated panels, often mixing solid surfaces with smaller windows, while a curtain-wall facade like the one seen in the Wells Fargo Center uses a lightweight glass curtain wall hung from the structure.