Cleveland’s tallest suit—postmodern hauteur with just enough elegance to pull it off.
Skyscraper in Cleveland, Ohio.
Visitor Guide
Don’t waste time hunting a public deck—go into the connected hotel lobby for interior scale, then step back to Public Square for the skyline read.
Public Square, late afternoon: frame Key Tower with Terminal Tower in the same shot for a quick lesson in Cleveland’s high-rise eras.
Mostly private (office/hotel). Public access is typically limited to hotel/lobby areas and connected retail circulation; no standard public observation floor.
Pelli’s corporate towers often look calm because the complexity is in proportioning and skyline silhouette—Key Tower is a study in controlled monumentality.
20–35 minutes
Design & Structure
Conventional high-rise design refined through massing and façade proportion; repetitive floor plates and curtain wall tuned for skyline presence rather than formal gymnastics.
Stone/metal/glass high-rise palette—chosen for durability, prestige, and distance legibility.
A straightforward tall-building frame whose real accomplishment is wind/seismic performance wrapped in a composed, city-defining profile.
More by César Pelli
View all →
Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center
Minneapolis Central Library

Overture Center for the Arts
Pacific Design Center
Clorox Building
National Museum of Art, Osaka
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed Key Tower?+
Key Tower was designed by César Pelli and completed in 1991. It is located in Downtown Cleveland, United States.
Where is Key Tower located?+
Key Tower is located in Downtown Cleveland, United States. Its coordinates are 41.5011°, -81.6936°.
When was Key Tower built?+
Key Tower was completed in 1991. It was designed by César Pelli.
Can I visit Key Tower?+
Key Tower is a real building in Downtown Cleveland that can be viewed from the outside. Check local information for interior access and visiting hours. Use the Parametric Atlas walking tour feature to plan a route that includes this building.