Frankfurt and Rotterdam: Skylines As Embodiment of a Global City
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ctbuh.org/papers Title: Frankfurt and Rotterdam: Skylines as Embodiment of a Global City Author: Nebojša Čamprag, Teaching and Research Associate, Technical University of Darmstadt Subject: History, Theory & Criticism Keyword: Urban Planning Publication Date: 2015 Original Publication: CTBUH Journal, 2015 Issue I Paper Type: 1. Book chapter/Part chapter 2. Journal paper 3. Conference proceeding 4. Unpublished conference paper 5. Magazine article 6. Unpublished © Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat / Nebojša Čamprag History, Theory & Criticism Frankfurt and Rotterdam: Skylines as Embodiment of a Global City In contrast to US cities, which allowed construction of skyscrapers in central urban areas, the post-World War II development of western Europe generally involved new construction in peripheral zones, while urban centers were mostly preserved or reconstructed to resemble their state before the war. As exceptions to the rule, Frankfurt and Rotterdam were rare European cities that adopted high-rise buildings as main driving forces for the redevelopment of Nebojša Čamprag their central zones. These decisions set the conditions for the establishment of the powerful metropolitan images – communicated through skylines – that Author these cities promote today. Nebojša Čamprag, Teaching and Research Associate Urban Design and Development Unit Faculty of Architecture Introduction different media. The predominant features of Technical University of Darmstadt skyscrapers, such as visibility, presence, and El-Lissitzky-Straße 1 64287 Darmstadt A global city is not merely a site of economic local/global domination, as well as strict rules Germany transactions, but rather a place of global and requirements set forth by investors and t: +49 6151 16 7062 e: [email protected] imaginings (Short 2004). The idea of a “global the real-estate market, have often required www.tu-darmstadt.de city” itself is a crucial factor in the contempo- the construction of such landmarks in rary construction of the urban imagination, dedicated districts, in order to make both the Nebojša Čamprag representing ”… an authorized image of city buildings and their districts economically Nebojša Čamprag is a teaching and research associate at the Faculty of Architecture, TU success” (Robinson 2006). This idea shapes feasible. Frankfurt and Rotterdam both have Darmstadt. He has a background in the history and images of cities, both through creation of multiple instances of such districts. theory of architecture and urbanism, urban planning and design, and in international cooperation in urban new symbolic meanings, and through spatial development. His research interests range from change powered by intense competition to filtration of built heritage and construction of urban identities through heritage manipulation, to urban attract new investors, citizens, and tourists. “Mainhattan”: World’s Smallest Metropolis identity building through contemporary innovative architecture. His doctoral dissertation “Urban Identity and Change – a Comparison Between Frankfurt The common image of a “global city ideal” is The image of Frankfurt as a city is to a large and Rotterdam,” published in 2014, deals with the often expressed through the skyline, as well degree synonymous with the silhouette of its problem of identity in contemporary cities and new means for establishing recognizable urban images. as through the never-ending challenge of skyscrapers (see Figure 1). Rapid constructing “the world’s tallest building,” a transformation from “a city with some powerful means of waging intercity high-rises” into “the city of high-rises” competition. Skyscrapers doubtlessly carry classified Frankfurt as a rarity among many symbolic meanings, as they represent European cities, in that it supported a economic power and status. They are also concentration of high-rises in its central easily perceptible in the Information Age, as zones. However, the implementation of a a form of advertising supported through modern skyline in Frankfurt during the last 50 years has not been seamless. It has involved initial public rejection, as well as constant reviews, alterations, and partial realizations of broad planning concepts. Despite its status and great importance to its The prime high-rise cluster in Frankfurt today “metropolitan image, the skyline in Frankfurt has is located within the Bankenviertel (banking district), named after its predominant always carried some negative connotations, function. Many banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions raised their although its mocking moniker Mainhattan headquarters in the zone located next to the historic center, gradually creating an gradually became widely accepted and turned unofficial urban district with loosely defined into an asset for urban branding and tourism.” boundaries that are still expanding. On the 26 | History, Theory & Criticism CTBUH Journal | 2015 Issue I Figure 1. View of Frankfurt’s financial district. © Norbert Naegel. Figure 2. Fingerplan (1968) with Bankenviertel (framed in black) and zones for densification (shaded areas). Source: Müller-Raemisch, 1996: 212 one hand, these structures are the modern municipality created a positive climate for Frankfurt high-rise was born. The double successors to the fortifications that used to development in order to attract investors, towers of Deutsche Bank (1984) were the first gird the same area in medieval times. On the which is now recognized as one of the main constructed in this period, followed by Trianon other hand, its spatial structure, with high- preconditions for the commencement of the (1993) and Japan Center (1996). Skyscrapers rises organized around a central green area, early skyline. The first generation of high-rise generally became slimmer and taller, as bears a strong resemblance to the skyscrapers buildings, reaching up to 70 meters, began represented by the construction of surrounding Central Park in New York, if at a to emerge during the 1950s, taking Commerzbank tower by Foster + Partners in far smaller scale. modest-sized, contemporary American and 1997, which is still the tallest building in the classical pre-war German Modern buildings city and in Germany (see Figure 4). as their role models (Alexander & Kittel 2006). Becoming the City of High-Rises Development of the booming skyline was Construction of the Zürich Haus in 1962 regulated by the High-Rise Development Plan The historical conditions of the development marked the beginning of the second of 1999, which took into consideration the of Frankfurt’s skyline were arranged after the generation of skyscrapers, characterized by a experiences of some other important global city was passed over as the site of the postwar sharp increase in height and the abundant cities, such as Paris and London, as well as of federal capital. Its new economic strategy was use of international styles in various forms, Berlin, Munich, Vienna, and Boston, and based on its long tradition in trade, banking, shapes, and contexts. To deal with evolving presented an urban design vision for the and industry, with the intention of becoming construction dynamics, the city planning implementation of high-rise buildings into the at least the economic capital of the country, if authority proposed the Fingerplan in 1968 not of Europe. For this reason, the city (see Figure 2), which directed expansion along the radially distributed main streets outside of the old city core. At the same time, the first proposals to organize high-rises into a recognizable urban form appeared, with the introduction of the Bankenplan/Clusterplan in 1970, which more closely defined a high-rise area organized around the central green core of Taunusanlage and Gallusanlage parks (see Figure 3). The most vigorous high-rise boom occurred during the 1970s, when the “taboo” of 97 meters – the height of the Frankfurt Cathedral – was finally exceeded (Alexander & Kittel 2006). The most prominent buildings to follow the Bankenplan/Clusterplan include the Euroturm (1977), Silberturm (1978), and the Citibank Tower (1984). Along with the rise of the Postmodern style Figure 3. Bankenplan/Clusterplan used by the City Plan- in architecture, the third generation of Figure 4. Commerzbank Tower, Frankfurt. ning Office until 1984. Source: Müller-Raemisch, 1996. © Marshall Gerometta CTBUH Journal | 2015 Issue I History, Theory & Criticism | 27 Existing high-rise Not realized Planned high-rise Figure 5. High-rise Development Plan of 2008 (Hochhausenwicklungsplan). Figure 6. Panorama Tower – Maintor, Frankfurt (right) with the Schweizer National © Jourdan und Müller PAS. Source: http://www.stadtplanungsamt-frankfurt.de. (left) on the opposite. © Deutsche Immobilien Chancen AG & Co. KGaA urban fabric. Its principle of keeping the generation of high-rises (Alexander & Kittel Currently, the most important intervention skyscrapers within groups or clusters 2006). However, as too many featureless glass within the financial district itself involves its produced an ensemble effect, such that façades started to prevail, the city planning connection with the riverside. Nearly the grouping skyscraper silhouettes would office suggested using natural stone or metal entire urban block standing between the produce a high-quality skyline that would instead, in order to create richer optical river and the high-rise cluster is under foster the image of the whole city. contrasts. These ideas were demonstrated on redevelopment, branded as “Maintor” – the Opernturm