The Netherlands agency Mecanoo of Francine Houben will build a new housing tower developed by Phoenix and Gross & Partner in the Frankfurt skyline. With a height of 140 meters, the construction will be starting shortly according to the real estate company. The program of this real estate project is 16,500 m2 of social housing, 38 500m2 private housing, a 1 300m2 nursery and 1 700m2 for shopping.
Context and location
Frankfurt-am-Main is the 5th largest city in Germany with 700 000 inhabitants but surrounded by important city as Wiesbaden. This city is the main city for business and banking in Germany and houses the German market. The city hosts important trades show as ISH (HVAC Engineering) or Light + Building.
Following Brexit, many bankers moved to Frankfurt and the city has now more 30 towers in this skyline. The Icoon Tower is located near to the Frankfurt Central Station, more exactly, at the intersection between Hafenstrasse and Adam-Riese-Strasse. This neighborhood is bordered by the Frankfurter Messe and the Train Station and undergoing an urban transformation.
Designed by Mecanoo Architecten
The lines of this housing tower are characteristic. The basement is rounded and progressively becomes a straight line with a squarred plan where architects placed the penthouses. Although the design evolves according to the levels, the structure is always the same. In fact, Mecanoo plays with the balcony to change the façades appearance.
Inspired by the industrials history of this place, the Dutch architects used a metalic copper cladding on the facades. On the higher levels, glass is more and more present on the balcony creating a shiny effect with the housing tower.
With the insertion in this place, the tower will be attached to an elongated park to the Frankfurt Messe side ; and at the opposite side, a little public garden. The Icoon Tower hopes to bring diversity to this neighborhood of formed by the service sectors.
