House of Crafts

The House of Crafts is a child of its time. The building was constructed in the city center of Frankfurt in 1972 and shows the typical features of office buildings of that time. Ribbon windows and solid railings clearly emphasize the structural design of the building as a reinforced concrete steel framing, while establishing a pleasant and restrained appearance of the facade. In order to meet the needs of downtown parking spaces, the building is elevated on the ground floor. The event hall on the sixth floor represents an additional benefit to the building.

The renovation of the house included the renewal of the facades, the modernization of the technology in the building, the upgrading of fire safety measures and the restructuring of the individual floors. The aim of the renovation works was not only to maintain but also to strengthen the underlying character of the house.

A large ‘picture’ out of transparent mosaic tiles, which hangs in front of the facade of the existing building, is aligned to the basic principles of the building design and improves the energy efficiency of the building’ s exterior wall. The mosaic pieces, which are approximately five times five centimeters big and eight millimeters thick, reflect the natural light during day and night time with a varying intensity. They shimmer in a smooth dark color in the moonlight and in a glowing white in the sun.

The original structure of the staircase and the office floors has been preserved. The interior features a spatial openness and transparency. In the future, one will be able to divide the hall into two different sized function rooms. This new variability is supported by modernized technology and improved acoustics within the building.

Another special feature of the building is the newly created roof terrace. The wooden floor and the surrounding hedge of cherry laurel create high quality exteriors. The terrace will serve as a multi-purpose open air space. The panorama on the skyline of Frankfurt is impressive. The roof terrace represents the second exit route out of the building. Thus it is not only a concise place, but also one of the most beautiful escape routes in Frankfurt.