KfW Westarkade

Zeppelinallee 4, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Sauerbruch Hutton (2004-10)

I would suggest that Sauerbruch Hutton are the most accomplished and rigorous architects in the use of colour in architecture. They are also extremely rigorous in their application of environmentally sensitive design ideas in all of their projects.

The KfW Westarkade building in Frankfurt is one such building with excellent sustainability credentials and clever colour compositions. The building is an extension to a series of buildings from the 70s, 80s and 90s owned by the KfW Banking Group, and includes a series of low-rise linking buildings containing conference facilities as well as a 15 storey office tower.

The curved elements of the new extension are a clever way to reconcile a complex series of existing site conditions with the various elements of the composition presenting different faces and differing masses depending on where they are viewed from.

The facade continues previous explorations by Sauerbruch Hutton into active glazed double-skin facades where natural air can be allowed in without turbulence. The facade is comprised of a zigzag profile where colour has been applied to the opening glazed end panels, that open and close to catch the prevailing winds in all directions.

Those colours reflect the orientations of the various elements and faces of the building, with greens angled towards the adjacent park, pinks and reds related to the existing buildings on the site and the greys and blues applied to the tower.

This is an intelligent design combining sustainable principles with clever explorations of form and colour, creating an undulating composition that inserts itself well into the existing built fabric.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Place: KfW Westarkade

Architect: Sauerbruch Hutton

Additional Information: KfW_Westarkade by Sauerbruch Hutton

Map: KfW Westarkade

 

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