UNStudio wins architectural competition for Deutsche Bank site revival in Frankfurt

It's a double-win for UNStudio in a plan to revive the former Deutsche Bank site in Frankfurt, Germany. Almost a year after being selected to design the masterplan, the practice announced today that they also had the winning architectural proposal. The eight-member jury — which included city representatives, architecture and urban development experts, and Groß & Partner — unanimously selected UNStudio as the winner, while Dudler / Jahn and MSW / Snøhetta both tied for third place, and Christoph Mäckler / Coop Himmelb(l)au received an honorable mention.

Read on for more.

The mixed-use project is a key component in reviving the former bank site, which has been closed to the public for nearly 50 years. It seems like UNStudio's hasn't made any major changes to their scheme, which will comprise four high-rise residential and office buildings (which will be built up to 228 meters tall) and a multi-story plinth. Visitors can check out an assortment of retailers, dining, hotels, recreational areas, and other pedestrian-friendly public spaces. The jury was drawn to the sculptural silhouettes of the towers and the overall project's connection with the surrounding city to areas like the Rossmarkt, the Kaiserplatz, and shopping areas in the Goethestraße to the Old Opera House.

“Bringing a mixed-use project into this financial district will not only enliven the area during daytime, but it will also introduce evening programmes and create an essential form of social sustainability to this part of the city,” UNStudio founder and principal architect Ben van Berkel said in a statement. “The introduction of the residential and the leisure components are key to this strategy. This sculptural family of towers will also create the impression of a cohesive neighborhood within the skyline and emphasize the importance of this part of the city within the whole.”

Construction is expected to begin sometime this year, while the first building is currently scheduled to open in 2021.

Project details:

Deutsche Bank Areal, Frankfurt, Germany, 2015
Client: Groß & Partner Grundstücksentwicklungsgesellschaft mbH
Location: Frankfurt/Main, Germany
Building surface: 219.000m2 above ground
Building site: 16,100m2
Building volume: four high-rise towers and a multi-storey plinth
Program: Mixed Use, Offices, Hotels, Residential, retail Commercial, Services, Kindergarten
Status: competition entry, 1st prize

1st Phase: Urban Competition 2016 (1st prize)
UNStudio: Ben van Berkel with Christian Veddeler and Jesse Zweers, Philipp Meise, Pieter Meier, Oana Nituica 

2nd Phase: Architectural Competition 2016- 17 (1st prize)
UNStudio: Ben van Berkel with Christian Veddeler and Tina Kortmann, Konstantinos Chrysos, Stefano Capranico, Jesse Zweers, Piotr Prokopowicz, Philipp Meise, Bart Cilissen, Pieter Meier, Oana Nituica, Jaap Baselmans, Panos Chatzitsakyris, Yunxiu Peng, Patrik Noome, Milena Sontowska