A New High-rise In Frankfurt / Main
Located in the new development area City West near Frankfurt Exhibition Centre this new tower for Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein Investment Bank marries a rational, abstract office brief with surprising and emotional aspects. The task on hand was firstly to reduce the impact of the large building mass with a contour that weightlessly merges into the sky. Clarity and formality were required for the design of the ultramodern and hyperflexible standardised office world. But then unexpected features, such as rooms for relaxation and communication, were inserted adding further meaning and emotional value to a rather compact building structure.
The design diagram is simple and clear. Two u-shaped seven-storey perimeter buildings frame a slim tower. Access to the complex is gained via a five-storey atrium resembling a lively piazza. The upper levels are reached via lifts and light-weight bridges, a two-storey sky lounge at the very top allows for an impressive panoramic view across Frankfurt.
In cooperation with the Berlin artists group soup new types of rooms for relaxation have been developed. Colourful loggia areas have been cut out of the perimeter buildings as either lounges or terraces. These Inside Panoramas are three-dimensional accessible images representing a clear contrast to the strict design of the office areas. Another feature integral to the overall concept is the lighting design of the casino ceiling. With the appliance of multicoloured pixel screens and mirrors this fine example of merging structures visually widens the space itself as well as our perception of it.
