Steel-and-glass façade for Messeturm Frankfurt realized by seele.

Messeturm, Frankfurt, Germany

1,800sqm

steel-glass façades

approx. 17x2.8m

cold bent insulating glass units

6t

each

17m tall glass façade for messeturm frankfurt

The Messeturm in Frankfurt am Main, opened in 1991, is the second tallest building in Germany. Due to its special shape, the postmodern building, designed by architect Helmut Jahn, is also called "pencil" by the inhabitants of Frankfurt.

The lobby of the Messeturm on the ground floor was modernised according to the design by Helmut Jahn and Matteo Thun & Partners. The design featured an approx. 17m tall glass façade on each of the four sides of the tower, projecting out from the existing façade and thus expanding the area of ​​the lobby. It consists of approx. 17 x 2.8m cold bent insulating glass units, which are held by 5t stainless steel columns. The façade is topped by an approx. 250sqm steel-glass roof. Its beams are screwed to the vertical steel columns of the façade at the joint.

  • The scope of work also included integrated revolving doors with an all-glass design as well as double-leaf glass doors. These are surrounded by stainless steel portal frames, in order to decouple them from possible deflections and movements of the extremely high façade.

    Furthermore, an interior, point-fixed steel-glass façade was built, a so-called Light Wall, consisting of up to 6 x 1.8m large, hot-bent glass elements with translucent interlayers. LED panels installed at the rear of the façade provide passive lighting and set the stage for the lobby.

    In spring 2021 the new lobby and the café was opened.

    Header image: © Henning Kreft

  • Four 17m tall podium glass façades for Messeturm in Frankfurt, made by seele
  • Steel-and-glass façade with integrated door systems made by seele
  • Interior glass façade backlit with full-surface LED panels for the lobby of Messeturm, made by seele.
  • Light Wall, consisting of up to 6 x 1.8m large, hot-bent glass elements with translucent interlayers
  • Maximum transparency with 17m long insulating glass units by seele
Four 17m tall podium glass façades for Messeturm in Frankfurt, made by seele
© Henning Kreft
Steel-and-glass façade with integrated door systems made by seele
© Henning Kreft
Interior glass façade backlit with full-surface LED panels for the lobby of Messeturm, made by seele.
© Henning Kreft
Light Wall, consisting of up to 6 x 1.8m large, hot-bent glass elements with translucent interlayers
© Henning Kreft
Maximum transparency with 17m long insulating glass units by seele
© Henning Kreft

project diary

Installation progress

The Messeturm in Frankfurt am Main, opened in 1991, is the second tallest building in Germany. The lobby of the Messeturm on the ground floor was modernized according to the design by Helmut Jahn and Matteo Thun & Partners. The design features a 17m tall glass façade. Never before have such large glass elements been installed in a skyscraper. This challenge demanded maximum precision from logistics and assembly.

  • 03/2021
  • 21/11/2019
  • 10/2019
  • 09/2019
  • 08/2019
  • 08/2019
  • 07/2019
  • 07/2019
  • 07/2019
nav-left-arrow nav-right-arrow

03/2021

The installation of the interior façade at the Messeturm in Frankfurt, Germany started in March. LEDs installed behind 6 x 1.80m large glass panels set the scene for the lobby.
03/2021

21/11/2019

All four façades of the Messeturm were successfully glazed. Now, further work for the completion will follow, while works in the interior of the lobby have already begun.
21/11/2019

10/2019

Also the assembly of the "9 o'clock façade" runs smoothly - so the third side of the Messeturm is almost finished.
10/2019

09/2019

The assembly of the second side (12 o'clock façade) was accompanied for one day by a film team for the channel ARTE.
09/2019

08/2019

The first 9 cold bent insulating glass units for the Messeturm Frankfurt are assembled.
08/2019

08/2019

Precision work to the millimetre is required when installing the glass units. © Jessica Schäfer
08/2019

07/2019

The first glass pane was lifted on 31 July 2019 in the presence of the public and the architect Helmut Jahn. © Jessica Schäfer
07/2019

07/2019

The arrival and departure of the truck with the glass units may only take place at night.
07/2019

07/2019

The safe transport of the oversized glass units is carried out by means of specially adapted internal loading racks. Special tarpaulins for weather and transport protection were also produced for the project.
07/2019

Credits

Client MesseTurm PropCo S.a.r.l.
Main contractor OFFICEFIRST Real Estate GmbH
Architect Jahn Architecture Inc.; Matteo Thun & Partners
Engineer Werner Sobek
Date of completion 2021
Scope of work by seele

Design, manufacture and installation of

  • approx. 1.800sqm steel-glass-façades, consisting of
    • approx. 17 x 2.8m cold bent insulating glass units (each weighing approx. 6t, consisting of 2 x 12mm laminated safety glass inside and outside, 20mm interspace)
    • stainless steel columns
  • 250sqm steel-glass roof for the lobby façades
  • two revolving doors with all-glass design as well as eight double leaf glass doors
  • approx. 1,100sqm Light Wall: point-fixed steel-glass façade with translucent interlayers, consisting of up to 6 x 1.80m tall, hot bent glass units (2 x 6mm laminated safety glass)