Commerzbank
Architect: Sir Norman Foster and Partners City:Frankfurt
Country: Germany Client: Commerzbank Ag Structural Engineer :
OveArup& Partners Year Completed : May,1997 Occupancy Type:
Office Construction type: Mixed(reinforced concrete
foundation,steel frame with vierendeelprinciple) Height: 258.7
metres(853.71 feet);298.74 metres(985.8 feet) uptothe top of
Antenna Stories: 63 Area: 120,736 sqm(1,314,815 sq ft) The
commerzbank is the worls first ecological office tower and the
tallest in Europe
CommerzbankDemostration: sustainability in high rise scale
Project Introduction
Triangular structure: estability Cores in the corners: open
plans without columns.
the central part of the building is released resulting in an
atrium
Every floor has 3 wings,two are for offices and the other one is
part of the sky garden. Always the offices have visual connection
to the gardens.
Commerzbank
Organization plan floor
equilateral triangle ( aprox.64 m)with rounded corners and
slightly convex sides.
The three cores are organized around the atrio.
Each floor has 3 wings , 2 for offices and one for the
skygarden
The vertical connection is situated in the cores, lifts and
stairscase.
Commerzbank
Vertical transportation
In each core the passenger lift serve a distinct group of
floors.
The service and firemens liffs in the north and west cores stop
at everylevel.
There are interchanges between levels 7,19 and 35 for
simplifying thr workers people the movement between floors.
Commerzbank
Structure development
Corner colums: carry concentrated gravity load to ground.
Vierendeel trusses support gravity loads from winter gardens and
floors Vierendeel trusses resist lateral wind loads Continuous
floors every four floors provide stiffness and stability
Commerzbank
Structure development
Structure squem
Commerzbank
Structure development Floor structure
Resisting gravitational loads.
The structure pushed loads to the perimeter. T hen basically
supported by the corner columns and the vierendeel frame.
Commerzbank
Structure development Structure Core column
Every core contain two columns. Every column are made up of two
Hsection vertical steel pieces that are connected by beams and
diagonal bracing. Enclosed in reinforced concrete
Commerzbank
Structure development Structure Vierendeel frame
Eight horizontal elements and four vertical that distribute
loads equally. Horizontal correspond with floors level, resistence
to wind loads. Vertical elements should be equal for wind load
distribution but fos supporting gravity load should be concentrated
at the cornes
Commerzbank
Structure development Structure atrium
The atrium is defined by a secondary structure that supports the
inside edges of the floors. The vertical element links the 8 beams
for sharing the loads of each floor.
Commerzbank
Enviromental strategies Sky garden
Sky gardens occupy three different faces, which all have
distinct solar orientations. Different climates would be required
to respond to the varying levels of solar exposure.
The Sky garden is aplace to relax during breaks and enrich the
workplace atmosphere.It become a social cohesion point .
Commerzbank
Enviromental strategies Natural ventilation
While the majority of modern skyscrapers rely heavily on the use
of massive mechanical systems to heat, cool, and circulate air
within the building Air is transport ed through the atrium by the
qualities of natural All the airflow offices have access to natural
Less CO2 ventilatio Save Energy and money
Natural ventilation os different depending on the seasons.
Winter: sky gardens are closed to heat . The warm rises up the
building for natural ventilation
Commerzbank
Enviromental strategies
The penetration of light into the central space of the buildings
atrium in the morning and afternoon during both summer and winter
the sun . When is low in the sky, light penetrates the facades of
the winter gardens.
Commerzbank
Enviromental strategies Thermal,Instalations
Conventional Heating: When conditions are too cold for passive
strategies to be an effective means for creating thermal
comfort
Passive solar: when heating is desired direct and indirect solar
gain throughout. Air conditioning: when conditions are so warm for
passive strategies.Only use 160 days per year
Commerzbank
Construction Fundations
The 111 piles are concentrated in the corners for support the
load of the six mega columns in the corners.
Due to the porosity of the limestone bed over 2,000 tones of
concrete was injected into the subsoil around the piles
strengthening
Commerzbank
Construction Cornes cores
The steel colums reinforced with concrete. Corner clading
Commerzbank
Construction
concrete acts both as fire protection for the steel and as a
water barrio to protect it from corrosion.
1Toughened White Glass Panels 2 Waterproofing Membrane
3Reinforced Concrete 4Vierendeel Frame
Frame constructi on concrete can be poured while steel frame is
still being constructed above it. wind vibration in the structure
is lower
Bibliography Buchanan, Peter. Reinventing the SkyScraper. A and
U. no 329, February 1998. 30-67. Commerzbank-Zentrale in Frankfurt
am Main. Baumeister. May 1997. 18-27. Evans, Barrie. Banking on
Ventilation. AJ Building Study. Februdary 1997. Foster, Norman and
Partners. Commerzbank. http://www.fosterandpartners.com
