Messeturm, Commercial skyscraper in Westend-Süd district, Frankfurt, Germany
Messeturm is a high-rise tower with a square base that transitions into a cylindrical shaft and is crowned by a pyramid-shaped top. Standing at 256.5 meters tall with 63 floors, it contains approximately 61,700 square meters of office space and is served by 24 elevators.
Messe Frankfurt held an architectural competition in 1985, won by Chicago-based Murphy/Jahn. Construction began on 13 July 1988; the topping-out ceremony followed on 1 March 1990 with 1,600 guests, and the first office floors were occupied on 1 October 1990. The tower was Europe's tallest until 1997, when the Commerzbank Tower surpassed it.
Frankfurters call the tower "Bleistift" (pencil) because of its tapering, pyramid-topped profile. The nickname is used in everyday speech and on postcards, and the illuminated pyramid tip is a landmark visible on approach to Frankfurt Airport. The building has its own postal code, 60308, one of only a few in Germany.
The building is located in western Frankfurt's central business district and is easily accessible by public transport from several nearby stations. Since it is primarily an office building, the interior is generally not open for casual visits, so the best way to experience it is to view it from outside and explore the surrounding area.
The 3,460 m² foundation slab, 6 m thick at its centre and tapering to 3 m at the edges, was poured in one continuous operation: 17,000 m³ of concrete placed over 72 hours, with 90 trucks delivering on site. Beneath it sit 64 bored piles up to 34.9 m long. The German article gives 72 hours, the English one 78.
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