Büro Center Nibelungenplatz

Büro Center Nibelungenplatz
Former names	Shell Tower
General information
Type	Commercial offices
Architectural style	Modernism
Location	Nibelungenplatz 3 Frankfurt Hesse, Germany
Coordinates
Construction started	1964
Completed	1966
Height
Roof	110 m (360 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	27
Floor area	32,000 m2 (340,000 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architect	Fritz Meinel Günther Rheingaus Novotny Mähner Assoziierte
References

Büro Center Nibelungenplatz, also known as BCN and formerly Shell Tower, is a 27-storey, 110 m (360 ft) skyscraper in the Nordend-West district of Frankfurt, Germany. The building was constructed in 1966 as one of the first buildings to reach over 50 m (160 ft) in Frankfurt, and it is still the tallest building in the Nordend district. It is located at Nibelungenplatz, a busy junction in the Nordend.

History

Construction

Büro Center Nibelungenplatz was designed by Novotny Mähner Assoziierte and part of the entire northern Alleenring comprehensive development plan, which provided for conversion to freeway and spot high-rises at all major intersections. The plan was however not followed up at another building at the intersection with the highway Eschersheimer further. The skyscraper at Nibelungenplatz was built from 1964 to 1966 for the oil companies Shell and was then the first skyscraper in Frankfurt, to reach 100 m (330 ft). In the cellar - the fear of nuclear war at that time according to established - for an emergency fallout shelter, which is used as a garage.

Reconstruction

The original facade following the sober international style, made up of suspended aluminum plates, no longer exists. In 1993 the tower was renovated by Novotny Mähner Assoziierte, by cladding it in the current post-modern glass facade and equipping it with a panoramic lift.

Tenants

Büro Center Nibelungenplatz was until 2013 a permanent shooting location for the ZDF television series A case for two, because the lawyer has his fictional law firm in that building. The panoramic view over Frankfurt's skyline shown in the episodes is a distinctive feature of the series. The tower is also headquarters of the General Consulate of the Kingdom of Spain. Other tenants include the University of Frankfurt, Merz Pharma, M. Page, Financial Times Germany (Gruner & Jahr), Financial Times Europe, SCF, mediomind, REWE and a Subway restaurant.

See also

• List of tallest buildings in Frankfurt
• List of tallest buildings in Germany