The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has awarded their coveted 10 Year Award to Deutsche Post Tower, the sheer, glass-dagger bank building in Bonn, Germany.
Designed by Murphy/Jahn, the 163-meter tall Post Tower set the trend in contemporary high-rises when it was completed in 2002, introducing high performance design elements to create efficient, pleasant and aesthetically-innovative office environments. It was described as “an early touchstone for sustainable tower design,” by the Awards Jury Chair Jeanne Gang. CTBUH’s 10 Year Award speaks to the building’s proven value and performance over a period of 10 years since its completion – and is a testament to its enduring design.
Composed of two elliptical structures that wrap around a central atrium, the building’s design minimizes negative wind effects and emphasizes views. In terms of sustainability, it features a double skin with operational panel to help support ventilation, allowing the tower to go without the usual mechanical ventilation equipment seen in most highrises. As a result, the “smart” building consumes 79% less energy per year than it would otherwise, and it has the added benefit of stunning interior sky gardens.
David Gianotten, awards juror and managing director of OMA, notes that “the design single-handedly changed the way we look at façade and office design to date. It has become an exemplar sustainable icon in contemporary architecture.” It has come to redefine sustainable high-rises.
*Photos courtesy of Jahn
