Mainzer Landstraße

Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Photo © Lisa Farkas

Apartment Buildings

Architects: Stefan Forster GmbH

Location: Mainzer Landstraße 129 / Rudolfstraße 21–23, 60327 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Year: 2022
Team: Attila Bende, Nina Bölinger, Eleanor Lucke, Xiaoyan Wu

Between the new and the old world: Güterplatz in Frankfurt links the district of Gallus and the area around the main station with the new Europa district and the trade fair centre. On the one side small-scale perimeter-block development and a multicultural urban mix, on the other hypermodern residential and office towers next to the Skyline Plaza shopping centre. The intersection between these two is marked by the Mainzer Landstrasse apartment building, a calm focus in a prominent location. It replaces a Concordia insurance office block that had stood empty for some time and was no longer suitable for refurbishment.

In terms of its building volume, the new structure takes up the dimensions of the neighbouring development, maintaining the same eaves height and in doing so helping to repair the urban fabric at this point. This thought was continued in the warm-toned clinker façade with its relief-like design, echoing European building traditions. The corner situation is further emphasised by means of a raised projecting section, a nod to the towering structures around Güterplatz. There are two retail units on the ground floor and a total of 117 apartments on the floors above.