Project status
completed

Frankfurt Airport
THE SQUAIRE

Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Normally, skyscrapers are vertical in orientation. That said, “THE SQUAIRE” – a combination of the terms “square” and “air” – above the long-distance railway station at Frankfurt Airport could be described as a skyscraper on its side, since it is 2,160 feet long and up to 213 feet wide. This horizontal giant accommodates hotels, offices, restaurants, stores and conference and business areas. With its streamlined structure, the building suggests speed, connecting air and rail by its location.

Internally, an oval-shaped glass roof extends practically over the whole length of the building, with a glazed surface of over 172,223 square feet and a clear span of up to 141 feet interrupted only by the existing cupola of the station. The building therefore appears airy and flooded with light, despite its length and its 350,000-ton weight.

THE SQUAIRE ranks amongst the biggest polygonal buildings in the world that have ever been constructed. According to the architect Helmut W. Joos, “[there] is nothing comparable and there will not be anything comparable”. THE SQUAIRE has achieved the internationally-recognized LEED® Gold seal. That makes it the first multi-level parking block in Europe to gain this award.