Commerzbank Headquarters Frankfurt

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Commerzbank HeadquartersFrankfurt
Ariston McKay
Liakos Ben
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The Structure

• Vision of Sir Norman Foster
• Constructed 1994 - 1997 in the heart of Frankfurt
• 299 meters, 53 floors the Tallest building in
  Europe
• Steel framing
• Green Design

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The Green Design

• Minimum Environmental Impact
• Healthy Human Interaction
• Energy Efficient
• Happy Worker make better world. !!!

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The Scientific S

• Virendeel beams

Cross-section of climatic façade
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Daylighting

• 7.5 m from a window!
• Happy worker

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Cooling and Ventilation

• Garden spaces provide evaporative cooling
• Atrium stack effect produces ventilation
• Operable windows
• Aerodynamic Building Design

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The Solar Envelope

• Not Green at other buildings expense

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Wrapping it all up(structurally)
At the
?Office facades as built, with air gaps top and
bottom of outer glazing
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Sitting monkey
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The monolith appears
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The Social S

• Not monolithic, but inviting for the happiness of
  the workers

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Shape Forms Forces

• Socially inviting, not too windy
• Perambulate around the building, stop in a park
  a nice park.
• Maybe a Mediterranean park, NO, a North American
  Park, NO a Asian park (based on the direction).

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Connecting Happy Worker

• You can look into other peoples offices so
  there will be no secrets.
• Secrets that divide us.

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SO NICE TO BE OUTSIDE IN GERMANY
Its springtime for Commerzbank in
Germany

• Galleria, shops, bring community together
• Fresh feelings

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The Symbolic S

• On the day the Commerzbank opened, the Financial
  Times adopted it as the symbol of Frankfurt, just
  as it features Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower as
  symbols of London and Paris.

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An Evolution in Form
Are we going GREEN?

• Commerzbank symbolizes, as the tallest building
  in Europe, A New Form for Structures
• Like the Menai Straits Bridge of this Era

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Conflicting Ideals
Billingtons Blunder?
?

• Is structural art, as defined by David P.
  Billington applicable to buildings?
• What about the environment?

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Skyscraper Words of Wisdom

• If you ever fall off the Commerzbank Centrale
  Building, just go real limp, because maybe youll
  look like a dummy and people will try to catch
  you because, hey, free dummy.
• Jack Handy