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Giving identity to a skyline

The Central Business Tower as a new accent to the Frankfurt skyline - Jürgen Engel interviewed by SKYLINE ATLAS

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Publications

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  • Twelve - 12 projects

    Twelve - 12 projects

    We consider architecture from the perspective of the human being. Only in this way is it possible to grasp construction projects in all their complexity – and come up with persuasive architectural solutions. The aim is to build truly efficient, sustainable buildings – which means taking into account ecological, economic and sociocultural aspects in the architectural deliberations and actions.

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  • High-rises

    High-rises

    Does the high-rise have a future? Too large, too heavy, too inflexible: Ostensibly, the dino- saurs died out because they were not able to adapt to the changes in their environment. Is something similar true of high-rises, which some critics consider to be the “dinosaurs of architecture”?

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  • Working worlds

    Working worlds

    The demands placed on work environments are constantly changing. That said, a look at history tells us that one thing remains constant: These spaces are both a reflection and a driver of social developments. The 20th and 21st centuries saw any number of variations, ranging from open-plan offices to single-person layouts. These reflect the diversity of the working world and thus reveal the interrelationship between society and architecture.

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  • Transformation

    Transformation

    Transformation – preserving and adapting buildings to current requirements makes sense in many instances both from an ecological and economic perspective. The aim is always to upgrade the economic, technical and aesthetic value of a property; this typically means that a wide variety of aspects relating to building law, energy, statics but also constructional and con-servation aspects need to be considered. Such work requires both extensive technical know-how and creativity to attune these various requirements with one another and ultimately find the best possible solution.

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  • Living

    Living

    The digital world is changing city dwellers’ life styles and their notion of society. New living typologies are needed in order to respond to this trend. Hybrid buildings that combine housing, work spaces, hospitality, wellness and service facilities, are just as much in demand as new forms of collective homes, so–called Co-Living. Residents’ needs for private and personal spaces need to be reconciled with areas for (communal) activities all under the single roof and with an intelligent footprint.

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  • Hotel

    Hotel

    In the cultural history of accommodation hotels play an increasingly important role as an expression of the realities of life today. They now not only provide travelers with an absolutely necessary service but also become temporary living spaces and places for unique experiences. To this end, the range of hotel architecture has been expanded to include innovative concepts such as lifestyle and theme hotels. This new array of different options contrasts with the shortage of space in urban centers, meaning effective and creative solutions are needed to realize these opportunities.

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News

  • 1st prize for Al Thalath in Muscat, Oman 16.07.2025

    We are delighted to have won first prize in the international “Al Thalath” competition in Muscat. The mixed-use project in the Al Ghubra South development area combines contemporary architecture with traditional Omani forms. Three sculptural structures, inspired by faceted gemstones, house a 4-star hotel and flexible office space. Our design follows a modular approach that allows for maximum space utilization and long-term adaptability. The buildings respond to the topography and climate and form a striking urban accent. A stone, climate-regulating façade protects against the heat, while the inner courtyards allow for natural lighting, ventilation, and spatial connectivity. The facades reinterpret traditional mashrabiya elements. Sustainability is an integral part of the concept, supported by passive cooling strategies and regionally anchored architectural awareness.

  • 3rd prize in the competition for the German Leather Museum Offenbach 10.12.2024

    Our design concept for the German Leather Museum follows the guiding principle of ‘preserve, renew and complement’. We have therefore retained the central exhibition areas in the rear extension and reduced the old building to its clear geometry. The exhibition areas are complemented by a U-shaped new building, which accommodates the necessary depot and storage rooms, internal access and other ancillary rooms behind a largely closed façade. A glazed intermediate structure connects the old and new buildings. This light-flooded space serves as the centrepiece of the museum, with a café and access to green outdoor areas. Different materials and surfaces for the façade and interior, such as light-coloured plaster, rough, scratched natural stone for the museum cube and steel and glass for the glass intermediate building, interpret the wide variety of different textures of leather and translate them into architecture. The outdoor spaces have also been reinterpreted: The listed forecourt of the museum is enhanced by complementary groups of trees, benches and outdoor café seating. Gravelled areas, trees and shady spots create a high quality of stay. Our design harmoniously combines modern architecture with the listed old building to create a museum with supra-regional appeal. We are delighted with this success and would like to thank everyone involved in the project.
    Rendering: asty studio

  • Jürgen Engel receives ULI Germany Leadership Lifetime Award 2024 22.11.2024

    On 21 November 2024, Jürgen Engel was presented with the prestigious ULI Leadership Award in the Lifetime Achievement category in Berlin. The prize, which is awarded by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Germany, honours outstanding individuals who shape the future of our cities through visionary thinking and sustainable action. In his laudatory speech, Ulrich Höller, ABG Real Estate Group, emphasised Jürgen Engel’s extraordinary lifetime achievement: ‘Jürgen Engel has shaped the architecture of German cities for several decades through his constant and outstanding work. With spectacular projects such as the Grand Mosque in Algiers, he has also strengthened the reputation of German architecture worldwide. With this award, we are honouring one of the most important German architects of the present day.’
    Jürgen Engel thanked the jury and those present for this special honour. In his acceptance speech, he emphasised the responsibility that architects bear for the built environment: ‘With our creative designs, we seek answers to the diverse challenges of our time. This honour encourages us in our attitude of not following every fashion, but - in the tradition of the Bauhaus - creating timeless architecture that serves people: functional, sustainable and permanently usable. In other words, architecture that creates quality - for people and for our cities.’ The ULI Leadership Award is presented annually in five categories and honours personalities whose ideas and commitment sustainably advance architecture and urban development. Honouring Jürgen Engel is a recognition of his decades-long contribution to architecture and his ability to create not only buildings, but also places of high quality and lasting value.
    Photo: Stefan Wieland

  • 1st prize for URBAN.Q with 60 metre office tower in Hanover 07.10.2024

    We are delighted to have won 1st prize in the realisation competition for URBAN.Q in Hanover. Close to the main railway station, the site of the former post office offers the opportunity to develop a lively neighbourhood. Our design for Meravis Immobiliengruppe is divided into the 17-storey office tower ‘THE.PEAK’ and a 6-storey hotel with a separate daycare centre. With a height of 60 metres, the new office tower is one of the ten tallest buildings in the centre of Hanover. The office space can be flexibly divided and allows for various office concepts (cellular offices, open space, co-working). ‘We have found a worthy winner in KSP Engel. Elegance, lightness and high functionality characterise the design for THE.PEAK,’ was the jury’s verdict. The new urban quarter, which is divided into three building plots, will offer an attractive utilisation concept that appeals to different target groups. In addition to residential use, office space, a hotel, a day-care centre and retail, service and catering space are to be offered here. In conjunction with the high-rise building and hotel, the newly created square will create a special identity for the neighbourhood. A total of approx. 57,000 square metres of gross floor area will be created.
    Visualisation: Play Time / KSP ENGEL

  • Foundation stone laid for Central Business Tower, Frankfurt/Main 05.09.2024

    Together with around 300 guests, our client Helaba celebrated the laying of the foundation stone for the Central Business Tower high-rise project on 4 September 2024. The future 205-metre-high office tower with a historic base building in Frankfurt’s banking district thus reached the next milestone. The office tower will not only be a new landmark for the city, but also a place with cultural uses such as the new branch of the Weltkulturenmuseum. In the base area, there will be other public uses such as a restaurant with a view of the ramparts, a company catering facility and a café with an evening wine bar. The 52-storey tower block will provide around 72,500 m² of rental space, most of which will be used as modern office space. Together with Helaba, we are also setting a new standard for sustainable high-rise architecture: with photovoltaic modules integrated into the façade, a vertical “solar power plant” is being created that is unique on this scale. As the keystone on Neue Mainzer Strasse, the Central Business Tower combines tradition and modernity paired with contemporary urban living. More information

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Lisa Romswinkel
Head of Public Relations

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