Highrise City Frankfurt
DAM, Frankfurt, 8 November 2014 – 19 April 2015

Stefano Boeri, Gianandrea Barreca, Giovanni La Varra: Boscolo Ház, Milánó, fotó: Paolo Roselli

How and why did Frankfurt rise to such architectural heights? The exhibition explores this question and offers an overview of the history of the city’s high-rises. It starts with post-war reconstruction via the battle over houses in the Westend district, through to the era of global finance markets. Selected buildings are placed in their historical, economic and cultural context. Representatives of classic historical buildings, the Bienenkorbhaus (Beehive House) and the Junior-Haus are placed alongside outstanding structures such as the Silberturm (Silver Tower), the Messeturm, the Commerzbank Tower, and the Main Tower. While visionary projects such as the Campanile, the Millennium Tower and a series of redevelopment plans for Frankfurt’s Main Train Station will give a clear idea of the Frankfurt that was never built. This year’s demolitions of both the AfE-Turm and the Henninger-Turm have made space for future urban developments, which are already taking shape in the case of Palais Quartier, Maintor Quartier, and the Europa-Allee, and will soon be joined by the Marieninsel and by Gateway Gardens. The exhibition will be accompanied by the extensive and amply illustrated publication “Hochhausstadt Frankfurt. Bauten und Visionen seit 1945” (High-Rise City Frankfurt. Buildings and Visions since 1945) published by Prestel Verlag. A new high-rise book for children will be published as well by antaeusverlag.