Westend Tower
Westendstraße 1 is a 53-storey, 208 m (682 ft) skyscraper in the Westend-Süd district of Frankfurt, Germany. The structure was completed in 1993 and together with the near-by City-Haus, forms the headquarters of DZ Bank. In 1995 it won the "Best Building of the Year" award by the American Chamber of Architects in the multifunctional skyscraper category. The tower is the third tallest skyscraper in Frankfurt and also in Germany. The facade consists of fine, golden granite, giving it a white and bright appearance from afar. The building was designed by architect William Pedersen. The characteristic ring beam at the top of the tower (known commonly as the crown) is a reminiscent of the Statue of Liberty, but is also intended as a reminder to Frankfurt's history as the city where German emperors were crowned. The crown faces towards the old part of Frankfurt where the coronations were held at the Frankfurt Cathedral. The 95 tonne steel crown is heated in winter to prevent the forming of icicles which could potentially endanger pedestrians or cars on the street below.
Famous quotes containing the word tower:
“Culture is a sham if it is only a sort of Gothic front put on an iron building—like Tower Bridge—or a classical front put on a steel frame—like the Daily Telegraph building in Fleet Street. Culture, if it is to be a real thing and a holy thing, must be the product of what we actually do for a living—not something added, like sugar on a pill.”
—Eric Gill (1882–1940)