The Commerzbank building in Frankfurt, completed in May of 1997, is the tallest building in Europe. However, this fact alone is not the reason for a detailed documentation. Most high-rise office buildings follow the conventional American model: fully air-conditioned spaces, little natural lighting, a centrally organized building technology and spatially separate yet otherwise identical floors. The new Commerzbank building is quite different from this model: it receives natural daylight and ventilation, has an atrium reaching from the ground to the top floor, and each office or department enjoys an unobstructed view to the outside. Four-story garden landscapes are distributed throughout the building and make the interior accessible while at the same time creating a totally new work environment. Designed by Sir Norman Foster, this building represents as does his famous Hong Kong Bank a radical reinvention of the high-rise office building.
This book traces the complete history of the Commerzbank building, from design to realization. Illustrated essays explain the many innovative aspects of this architecture, and series of attractive photographs and precise texts elucidate successive phases of the construction process. It is path-breaking architecture, and architects, engineers, contractors, and clients, as well as anyone interested in the architectonic shaping of our environment will welcome this vivid documentation.
