CASE STUDY 03, COMMERZBANK TOWER, GERMANY.pptx

Case Study of the Commerz Bank Tower, Germany.

1. COMMERZBANK TOWER , GERMANY download the PPT from link given below

2. CASE STUDY : COMMERZBANK TOWER, GERMANY SKYSCRAPER 01 · BUILDER: HOCHTIEF AG, Frankfurt on the Main · ARCHITECT: Foster and Partners · GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Dr. Gubert ObjektFrankfurt AG · DESIGN ENGINEER: Pettersson & Ahrens Ingenieur-Planung GmbH · PLACE: Kaiserplatz 1, 60261 Frankfurt o. t. Main · OPENING: 1997 · FUNCTION: offices · BUILDING STRUCTURE: - 40‘000 sqm of general and office area Height 259m - 56 floors · RADIANT CEILING SYSTEM: Barcol -Air A11 Water Cooling System 15’000 sqm with active Radiant Cooled Ceilings. TOWER AT A GLANCE : FACTS & FIGURES fig.1 commerzbank tower

3. 02 CASE STUDY : COMMERZBANK TOWER, GERMANY SKYSCRAPER GROSS FLOOR AREA Tower 85,503m2 Basements 12,724m2 Car-park 9,579m2 Perimeter buildings – shops 2,171m2 – apartments 4,025m2 Kaiserstrasse 18 1,719m2 Auditorium 2,626m2 Plaza catering 1,264m2 Public plaza 1,125m2 Total 120,736m2 HEIGHT Excluding antenna 259m With antenna 300m fig.2 Sectional view

4. 03 Car-parking spaces 300 Bicycle-parking spaces Appx.200 LEVELS IN TOWER Entrance hall 3 levels Offices 45 levels Technical equipment 14 levels Main usable area 52,700m2 (excluding apartments and car park) Gross volume, total 538000 m3 Workplaces 2800 Construction phase May 1994–May 1997 CASE STUDY : COMMERZBANK TOWER, GERMANY SKYSCRAPER fig.3 view from the iron bridge

5. 04 CASE STUDY : COMMERZBANK TOWER, GERMANY SKYSCRAPER TOWER FOUNDATION Load-bearing piles 111 Large piles Ø 1.8m/1.5m Length: max. 48.5m Raft: Thickness: 2.20-4.50m SHELL AND CORE Basements Reinforced concrete torsion frame Tower superstructure Steel frame with Vierendeel frame system fig.4 facade

6. 05 CASE STUDY : COMMERZBANK TOWER, GERMANY SKYSCRAPER CONCEPTUALISATION The Architect Sir Norman Foster designed the 43- story building with staggered sections in a spiral between the three facades. The resulting garden atrium areas, these are 4 stories high, make the potentially dark centre of the building light and bright and give room for relaxation. The Commerzbank head-office building not only adds an impressive feature to Frankfurt’s skyline. Viewed from close quarters as well, the building is more than merely another high-rise bank. Visitors enter the almost 259m-high tower from Kaiserplatz by means of stairs covered by a glass roof. This entrance blends harmoniously with the adjacent perimeter buildings. On the first floor, a generous plaza with an integrated restaurant welcomes bankers and the public alike – at weekends as well. Here, the observant visitor already senses the central architectural idea of combining transparency and functionality in a balanced manner.

7. 06 CASE STUDY : COMMERZBANK TOWER, GERMANY SKYSCRAPER Below the lobby leading off the plaza, an atrium allowing daylight to penetrate rises through all the floors, creating a bright, friendly atmosphere. The nine sky gardens – the building’s “green lungs” – can be used by employees as communication and recreation areas. This is made possible by an innovative conception produced by the architects Foster and Partners. The central core that is usual in high-rise buildings was replaced by a 160m-high atrium and the technical risers were accommodated in the three corners of the building. fig.5 entrance lobby

8. 07 CASE STUDY : COMMERZBANK TOWER, GERMANY SKYSCRAPER

9. 07 CASE STUDY : COMMERZBANK TOWER, GERMANY SKYSCRAPER

10. 05 CASE STUDY : COMMERZBANK TOWER, GERMANY SKYSCRAPER fig.5 situation fig.6 first floor plan

11. 05 CASE STUDY : COMMERZBANK TOWER, GERMANY SKYSCRAPER fig.7 typical floor plan fig.8 typical floor plan

12. 05 CASE STUDY : COMMERZBANK TOWER, GERMANY SKYSCRAPER

13. 05 CASE STUDY : COMMERZBANK TOWER, GERMANY SKYSCRAPER

14. 05 CASE STUDY : COMMERZBANK TOWER, GERMANY SKYSCRAPER

15. 05 CASE STUDY : COMMERZBANK TOWER, GERMANY SKYSCRAPER

16. 05 CASE STUDY : COMMERZBANK TOWER, GERMANY SKYSCRAPER

17. FILM SCHOOL CASE STUDY : WHISTLING WOODS INTERNATIONAL, MUMBAI 15 2. The Structure Essentially the Commerzbank tower is a hollow tube standing on one of its ends. The vertical loads are concentrated at the outer walls of the building with the intention that the structural footprint can be as large as possible. [2]  This special shape is by law of nature very stable and is able to resist horizontal wind loads. But this tube had to be perforated by the large openings of the gardens and, of course, by the windows. The entire architectural concept is based on these four-storey-high openings which run from the façade to the central core of the building. Because of the spiral arrangement of the gardens, the construction remains constantly solid. To keep the gardens free from columns the vertical forces have to be moved to the corners of the triangular plan. For that reason the structure consists of two main elements, namely the corner columns and the eight-storey-high steel structures which span across the gardens. [3]  These structures, which are bridge-like, have two main functions. On the one hand, they are able to hold the floors, and on the other hand, they can resist wind loads. Another solution that could have been able to grant these two functions would have been the form of deep trusses. But this option was rejected in favour of a  Vierendeel  frame of vertical and horizontal members which distributes the loads equally through the structure. It would have been possible to fabricate these  Vierendeel  frames of concrete, but they would have been too thick and only 40 per cent of the façade would have been free for glazing. That is why it was decided to make these frames from steel. Moreover, the steel construction has another big advantage; it is much lighter. Amazingly, it weighs about the same as the old Commerzbank tower (about 132000 tonnes). The weight of the building is a major factor with regard to the foundations. Because of the shape of the Commerzbank site the new tower had to be built right next to the old one. Furthermore, Foster moved what usually constitutes the core of the building namely elevators, stairs, and lavatories to the corners of his triangular tower, thereby creating a hollow shaft. [4]  This inner atrium runs the entire height of the building and allows fresh air and natural light to penetrate the building. Foster has given every office impressive views, a chance to be near plants and breaks from the monotony of typical office tower life.