The Whole is more than the sum of its parts. From a “geometrical figure consisting of four high-rise buildings,” said Ferdinand Heide. The Frankfurt architect won with his office the design competition for the redevelopment of the Bundesbank area. The draft leaves open the architectural design, but he shows very clearly what is to be built in the extensive grounds between the Miquelallee and the Wilhelm-Epstein-Straße. Objective of the Bundesbank is there, employees from different locations together. It must, therefore, work on the site, so far 2300 people, space for more than twice as many employees.
Matthias Trautsch
sheet-makers in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.
F. A. Z.
Heather this is on target, without the dominance end of the year in 1972, master in brutal extremist-style main building constructed. On one hand, the prominent concrete bar outstanding office tower, as other entries in the competition had provided, he decided against it. However, the solitaire is part of a Quartet: The design envisages three disk-shaped building, the height, and the lines of the main building, and thus to form a rectangle, in the middle of a wide green strip from the North, approaching the main entrance.
history and challenge of the project
At the opening of a small exhibition to see in the designs of the competition, outline of Bundesbank Executive Board member Johannes beermann, yesterday, the history and the challenges of the project. Three years ago, the Board had decided that the main building, “this is for many of us, a symbol of the stability culture to the Bundesbank and the Western post-war Germany” to renovate. It may have surrendered to the idea to expand the building. In the long term, the Bundesbank can save money by employees working currently in the city centre, on the private grounds were and the office rent is thus accounted for.
specification of the design competition was therefore to create on the Area in the shadow of the telecommunications tower room for up to 5000 Employees and more than 1500 vehicles. Existing facilities, such as the money Museum, and a daycare center should be preserved, in addition, the Campus should be strengthened character. A major challenge is the stringent safety regulations that apply on the premises, also goods, because there is a large part of the German gold reserves are to be found.
the decision on the competition winner, the Board relied on the recommendation of the design Advisory Committee. The Chairman Günther Hoffmann explained yesterday, the reasons that were decisive for the selection of Heide’s contribution. This is characterized by a compact construction, an emphasis of the main house, the rooms spacious and have a relatively small surface sealing. The Campus is car-free and a Park-like green space from the North to the main house can stretch, reach Heather through a huge underground Parking in two subterranean Storeys along the Wilhelm-Epstein-Straße.
architectural competition for the design
The five other designs of approaches, which differ from the the Winning entry. The office Schneider + Schumacher proposes a tower would be 120 metres, twice as high as the main building, and West 8 Urban scheduled 85-Meter tower would have dominated. Behnisch Architekten, the building mass be spread out over several buildings, which are low, but nested the whole space between Epstein-road and the main house are taking and, therefore, the view axis of the North block.
