Feb 22 2006
Driving into downtown Frankfurt from the west, the travellers eye is caught by what appears to be a huge flying saucer sticking out of the ground. The latest figurehead of the Radisson SAS hotel group sits like a futuristic disc amidst the already modern downtown architecture. Behind a glass façade of 11,400 square metres are 428 4-star hotel rooms, protected from excessive solar radiation by Interpane’s ipasol blue 40/23.
Between the fairgrounds and the motorway interchange “Frankfurter Kreuz”, the hotel with the round front rising 96 metres into the sky, dominates the cityscape. A blue glass cube, framed by two crescent façade elements gives the hotel its futuristic shape. The “Blue Heaven” measures 136 metres in length and 85 metres in width and rests on a much wider foundation. Massive concrete pillars dissipate the pressure resulting from the idiosyncratic construction. The design by London-based architect John Seifert protrudes from its surroundings like a Ferris wheel at a funfair. “Our aim was to develop a revolutionary hotel that offers guests a real experience during their stay and which also contributes to the Frankfurt cityscape. But in spite of all the innovation, the design features hard discipline, reflected in the materials and details, and finds its roots in Frankfurt,” says the architect. And the colossal disc not only attracts attention by means of its revolutionary shape, but the “Blue Heaven” shines in a deep blue, generated by the glass façade equipped with ipasol blue 40/23.
“Intrinsic values”
Adam Tihany (New York) and Matteo Thun (Milan) are responsible for the exclusive inside design of this extraordinary hotel (37,500 square metres of floor space). The 2,500 square metre base hosts one of the largest halls in Germany. The 20-storey hotel has two restaurants and numerous bars as well as ample space for conferences and wellness. The pool behind the glass façade in the 18th storey offers a spectacular view of blue skies and downtown Frankfurt. This also applies to the 428 rooms inside the disc, which are all equipped with their own glass wall.
Transparent protection
The glass façade made of ipasol blue 40/23 provides for a low total energy transmittance (24%) and effective thermal insulation (Ug-value 1.2) at a relatively high light transmittance (40%). The finely tuned light and radiation values of the solar control glazing improve the working and living atmosphere inside the hotel. The glazing improves the building’s energy balance: Less cooling is required during the summer months and at the same time the large amount of glass has a positive impact on the need for artificial light. The product by the Interpane group also protects guests from the noise of the city and thus provides for peaceful nights in the “Blue Heaven”.