Peering up, the Henninger Turm dominates the skyline. This modern residential tower stands tall. It is inspired by the original Henninger Turm. Let’s delve into its story. The original Henninger Turm was a grain storage silo. It stood in Frankfurt’s Sachsenhausen district. The Henninger Brewery built it between 1959 and 1961. Architect Karl Lieser designed it.
The silo reached 119 meters. This equaled a 33-story building. It could store 16,000 tons of barley. It was the tallest storage silo in the world. It was even taller than any other Frankfurt building until 1974. Imagine that. The Henninger Turm may have been unique. It possibly was the only storage silo with a revolving restaurant.
The brewery faced a challenge. They had little land. So, they built the Henninger Turm tall. The silo itself was 87.5 meters high. Atop it sat a 31.5-meter cylindrical tower. This tower resembled a beer keg. It held an observation deck. At one point it housed a revolving restaurant. Another restaurant was at the silo’s very top. It sat just below the cylindrical extension. The windows at the top of the rectangular tower belonged to the restaurant.
Initially, the restaurant was an open roof garden. It featured flower beds, a dance floor and water games. Around 1970, it was rebuilt. It gained a proper roof and large skylights. The revolving restaurant was added around the same time. These restaurants operated until 2002. Lack of a second fire escape forced authorities to close the tower to the public. That was the end of an era.
In 2013, the original Henninger Turm was demolished. A new tower was erected in its place. The design of the new Henninger Turm takes inspiration from the original. It stands 140 meters tall. It houses residential apartments. A revolving restaurant sits at the top.
The new Henninger Turm won an International Iconic Award in 2015. It won in the “domestic architecture” category. The award recognized its “visionary architecture”. Architects Meixner Schlüter Wendt designed the new tower. It maintains a similar style to the original industrial structure.
The facade features an interplay of shapes, colors and structures. It blends glass, aluminum and natural stone. Guardian Glass supplied the glass for the facade. Guardian SunGuard coated solar control glass was chosen. This glass provides high natural light transmission. It also helps with energy savings and solar protection. The coatings minimize the need for artificial light. They also provide thermal insulation. This keeps the building’s occupants comfortable.
The Henninger Turm has been a major landmark for over 50 years. The clever structural glazing is visually appealing. It reflects the building’s surroundings. Architects 3XN created geometric transformations. These create a prismatic pattern of triangular surface reliefs. The Henninger Turm is a unique part of Frankfurt’s skyline. It is a testament to innovative design. It blends history with modern living.