Global Tower

Project description

Location

The Global Tower is situated at Neue Mainzer Strasse 32–36, 60311 Frankfurt am Main, in the heart of Frankfurt’s central business district, known as the Bankenviertel. Its central location offers excellent links to urban infrastructure. Three S-Bahn lines, three tram lines, two U-Bahn lines and various bus routes are all within walking distance. In addition, Frankfurt Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) is around 10 minutes away on foot. Proximity to Frankfurt’s primary arterial roads also means that autobahns toward the Rhine-Main region and the airport are within easy reach. The immediate vicinity features a host of premium restaurants, cafés and shopping facilities for users’ daily needs. An array of services, healthcare centers and leisure facilities are within walking distance. Furthermore, a number of central parks in the city offer spaces to relax and unwind, complementing the dynamic atmosphere of the CBD. As is to be expected, the location features numerous finance companies, high-profile service providers, IT businesses and law firms.

Property description

Global Tower is an office building with retail units. It was built in 1974, with the Global Forum added in 1994. The entire building was refurbished in 2022. The property features:

• 29,735 m² of above-ground rental area (incl. 600 m² of retail and restaurant areas and an auditorium of roughly 900 m²)
• 1,300 m² of terrace area
• 2,700 m² of below-ground storage
• 75 underground parking spaces

Usage concept

The Global Tower is an ultra-modern multi-tenant office tower that offers flexible work environments for ambitious companies with global operations. The office units offer the potential for conventional private offices or team offices as well as integrated coworking spaces. An impressive two-story lobby welcomes visitors, while restaurant areas on the ground floor present varied culinary offerings and informal meeting points. Spectacular roof terraces on the 4th and 25th floors offer impressive views and represent an ideal setting for breaks and events. The top two and bottom three floors are occupied by technical installations and storage spaces ensuring smooth building operations.

Technical systems

The building features a distinguished foyer, hybrid climate ceiling systems, presence-activated LED lighting, technical ventilation systems, openable windows, raised floors throughout, an emergency standby power system, elevators with destination control systems, and service elevators. In addition, a fully equipped kitchen is available as an exclusive rental space on the 25th floor. The ceiling-mounted heating/cooling systems with intelligent control supply radiant heat in winter and gentle cooling in summer, ensuring exceptional comfort with low energy consumption. This comfort function is supplemented by an advanced technical ventilation system that provides a constant supply of fresh, filtered air while also minimizing the building’s heat losses.

This not only guarantees excellent air quality, it also makes a major contribution to the building’s energy efficiency. Despite this technical ventilation, the building’s windows can still be opened for a localized supply of fresh air and for connection with the outside world, further enhancing occupants’ well-being. Modern elevators with destination control technology and additional service elevators ensure the building operates with maximum efficiency.

Sustainability and certifications

Excellent connectivity has been confirmed by WiredScore Platinum certification, evidencing the building’s excellent digital infrastructure and high fail-safe standards. Furthermore, the Global Tower has been awarded Platinum certification from the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB), which underscores the building’s use of environmentally compatible materials, low emissions and exceptional user comfort, achieved through state-of-the-art energy measures and high soundproofing and acoustic quality.

Target group

The Global Tower is positioned as a premium office location in the heart of Frankfurt’s central business district and is tailored to the needs of ambitious companies with global operations. The target group comprises, in particular, large and medium-sized enterprises in the finance, consultancy, technology and service industries that would value a distinguished location and flexible, modern work environments. The property is also geared toward companies seeking an inspiring setting for New Work concepts, with a blend of conventional offices, coworking spaces and attractive communal spaces. The combination of sustainability confirmed by DGNB Platinum certification, first-rate connectivity and state-of-the-art technical building systems present an excellent offering for interested parties with discerning standards, further supplemented by outstanding local infrastructure, public transport connections, links to Frankfurt Central Station and Frankfurt Airport, and premium restaurants, cultural venues and retail facilities in close vicinity.

Project status

The Global Tower was completed in 1974 in line with designs created by architect Richard Heil. An auditorium was added in 1994, with designs drawn up by Sir Norman Foster. In 2017, the architectural firm MSM Meyer Schmitz-Morkramer (known today as holger meyer architektur) produced designs for an extensive refurbishment, which was completed in 2022.

Architecture

The building, known today as the Global Tower, has its architectural roots in the 1970s. The designs were drawn up by renowned Frankfurt-based architect Richard Heil.

The underlying concept was to create a pioneering high-rise building that would blend harmoniously into Frankfurt’s cityscape of that era, while also offering a modern and functional work environment. His vision was a building characterized by a clear, structured façade, replicating the functionality of a bank skyscraper in an optimal manner. Heil’s design left a lasting impression on the Frankfurt skyline, successfully fusing aesthetic impact with practical usability, which is reflected in the building’s heritage-protected façade.

The Global Forum – the auditorium in the Global Tower – is an outstanding example of modern architecture integrated into an existing building. It was designed by Sir Norman Foster, one of the world’s foremost architects. The concept behind his design for the multifunctional auditorium, which was added in 1994, was to create ultra-modern spaces with the flexibility to accommodate different uses, making it suitable for conferences and presentations as well as larger, higher-profile events. It serves as a vital hub for hosting events in the Global Tower, and underscores the building’s role as a premium location for global companies. The renowned architectural firm holger meyer architektur oversaw the recent refurbishment. Drawing on the expertise of other agencies – including Werner Sobek regarding structural issues and building physics, and Rosen Architekten for interior design – the refurbishment produced a building that respects its history while meeting every requirement of a modern, sustainable work environment.

The refurbishment concept for the listed façade, and the comprehensive gutting, redevelopment and redesign of the entire building, was a complex undertaking that required an in-depth understanding of the original architecture.