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Article from issue 3/2000 »Glass Construction«

The Growing Skyline: a New Tower Block in Frankfurt am Main

report p. 356 - 358
Architect Schweger und Partner |

With the completion of the Main Tower, the high-rise banking district of Frankfurt has acquired its first building with a public viewing platform and a panorama restaurant over the rooftops of the city – 198 m above ground level. The juxtaposition of cityscape and park landscape in this location is reflected by the contrasting geometry of the different sections of the complex, the plans of which are based on a circle and a square. Rising above a six-storey plinth structure, a circular tower and a somewhat lower square tower are linked by a common access core. The facade elements of the square block are in architectural bronze, while the round tower has an innovative single-skin, all-glass construction with opening windows up to the topmost storey. The 2,200 casements, which can be extended out electrically by up to 10 cm parallel to the face of the building, ensure a supply of fresh air in the working areas. In the event of strong windsor rain, the windows are closed automatically via a central system. The neutral low-E glass used for the facade is backed up by internal sunscreening. The facade design plays an important part in the optimized energy concept for this structure. The building has a gross floor
area of 100,000 m2. The estimated annualenergy consumption of 75 kWh/m2 will be achieved through a services system that includes heat- exchange units, cold hold-over installations inthe foundations, and a co-generating plant for the heating and power supply.