In recent writing and editing, I noticed that a participle phrase can sometimes be used interchangeably with a that/which phrase, and both options seem equally readable. The following sentences show an example:
Sentence 1: The building housing the Goldman Sachs office was refurnished.
Sentence 2: The building that houses the Goldman Sachs office was refurnished.
I'm wondering if there is, in prescriptive grammar/usage, a rule of thumb for when to use a participle phrase and when to use a that/which phrase.
I'm aware that readability is generally what's important, and I don't mean to lionize style guide rules. But, like many, I often write in settings where these rules are imperative.
