KfW Westarkade Frankfurt, sauerbruch hutton German Building, Office, News

KfW Westarkade Building, Frankfurt Skyscraper Architecture

German Tower Development – design by sauerbruch hutton

8 Nov 2011

KfW Westarkade Frankfurt

Sauerbruch Hutton’s KfW-building in Frankfurt is “Best Tall Building in the World 2011”

English text (scroll down for German):

– awarded by Chicago-based Council on Tall Building and Urban Habitat, CTBUH

– architectural design, energy efficiency and urban integration main criteria

The KfW Westarkade building, completed in 2010, has been announced as the World’s best Tall Building 2011. The awards ceremony took place in Chicago on Thursday night.

photos © Jan Bitter

The 85m high-rise is a prototype for a new generation of ecological building, running on less than 100 kWh/a/m² of primary energy it is one of the most energy-efficient office towers in the world. The streamlined form integrates itself into its surrounding context, while simultaneously standing out through the playful use of colour. At the same time it addresses the prevailing wind to exploit it for controlled natural ventilation within the building. The complexity of its environmental solutions reveal Sauerbruch Hutton’s understanding of sustainability as an holistic approach to urban, environmental and architectural conditions. The building was planned in collaboration with Transsolar and Werner Sobek Ingenieure.

images © Sauerbruch Hutton

In summer this year, CTBUH had announced 4 regional finalists for the global award: Besides KfW-Westarkade the other nominees were “New York By Gehry”, New York (Architects: Gehry Partners), “The Index“, Dubai, UAE (Architects: Forster and Partners) and “Guangzhou International Finance Center“, Guangzhou, China ( Architects: Wilkinson Eyre Architects).

CTBUH is an international organisation focused on the planning, design, construction and operation of tall buildings. It is based at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

CTBUH Awards

German text:

KfW-Hochhaus von Sauerbruch Hutton als “Bestes Hochhaus der Welt ” ausgezeichnet

– Auszeichnung durch den internationalen Council on Tall Building and Urban Habitat (CTBUH)

– Kriterien sind Architektur, Nachhaltigkeit und Energieeffizienz sowie die Integration in den städtischen Kontext

Die sogenannte KfW-Westarkade ( Fertigstellung 2010) wurde gestern Abend vom Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat in Chicago zum „Best Tall Building in the World 2011“ ernannt. Das 85 Meter hohe Gebäude gilt als Prototyp für eine neue Generation des ressourcenschonenden Bauens. Mit seinem Primärenergiebedarf von unter 100kWh/m²/a ist es eines der grünsten Bürohochhäuser der Welt. Seine aerodynamische Form integriert sich in das städtische Umfeld und nutzt den Wind für die kontrollierte natürliche Lüftung der Büroräume. Die Vielfalt an Lösungsstrategien entspricht Sauerbruch Huttons ganzheitlichem Verständnis von nachhaltiger Architektur sowohl auf städtebaulicher als auch auf ökologischer Ebene. Das Gebäude wurde in Zusammenarbeit mit Transsolar Energietechnik und Werner Sobek Ingenieure geplant.

Ebenfalls nominiert für den „Best of the World“ Preis waren die drei weiteren Gewinner der regionalen Awards: “New York By Gehry”, New York (Architekten: Gehry Partners), “The Index“, Dubai, UAE (Architekten: Forster and Partners) und das “Guangzhou International Finance Center“, Guangzhou, China (Architekten: Wilkinson Eyre Architects) Das CTBUH hat seinen Sitz am Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. Die international ausgerichtete Organisation fördert den Austausch zwischen Architekten, Ingenieuren und Konstrukteuren von hohen Gebäuden.

KfW Westarkade building Frankfurt images / information from sauerbruch hutton

KfW Westarkade – Best Tall Building Europe

photo © Jan Bitter

Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Completion Date: May 2010
Height: 56 m (184 ft)
Stories: 14
Use: Office
Owner: KfW Bankengruppe
Design Architect: Sauerbruch Hutton
Associate Architect: Architekten Theiss Planungsgesellschaft mbH
Structural Engineer: Werner Sobek GmbH
MEP Engineer: Reuter Rührgartner GmbH; Zibell, Willner & Partner
Project Manager: Architekten Theiss Planungsgesellschaft mbH

Already being touted as one of the most energy-efficient office buildings in the world, KfW Westarkade is projected to use approximately half the energy of an average European offi ce building, and one-third of a US-based one. The building addresses the prevailing wind direction to exploit it for controlled natural ventilation of the offices by means of its double-layered façade, which allows for the building to be naturally ventilated eight months out of the year. Awards Juror Peter Murray noted that “the streamlined form integrates itself into its surrounding context, while simultaneously standing out through the playful use of color. Whereas many buildings use color as a way to mask an otherwise unremarkable building, here it contributes an additional rich layer to what is already a remarkable building.”

KfW Westarkade building Frankfurt image / information from CTBUH

sauerbruch hutton

Location: Frankfurt, Germany