What is cluster formation?

A cluster is a relatively close concentration of high-rise buildings in a development area.

One benefit of building in clusters is that it places less burden on established urban districts, compared to dispersed development across a city. Additionally, bulk high-rise development takes up less space, can be easily accessible, and may combine uses like offices, apartments, hotels and shops. A cluster of high-rise buildings can only take place if there is sufficient demand.

Construction of individual high-rise projects is the most common high-rise development pattern in German cities today. In Frankfurt, too, before 1990, high-rise buildings were mainly built locally and close to the city center.

Cluster formation is the opposite of selective uncoordinated development of high buildings. Uncoordinated high-rise development led to public disputes in the 1970s, forcing development of tall structures to be concentrated in business districts. The Financial District was an obvious choice: it had less resident population than surrounding areas and was already considered “tainted” in terms of urban planning.

Construction of the Commerzbank Tower in 1997 spurred massive concentration skyscrapers in the banking district. The tower, considered oversized at the time, overshadowed a neighboring high-rise, today’s Global Tower, only a few meters away. From the city government’s point of view, the so-called “cluster concept” seemed well received because there was no resistance from the public. This fueled the city’s fundamental openness to high-rise buildings. More towers were built close to one another in the Financial District, also more visually appealing than before, and here and there a tower became open to the public.

The economic boom finally brought a number of new high-rise locations to City West that were easily accessible by car. It was the era of the car-friendly city.

Planning for the European District was inspired by the economic boom and guided by experience from the Financial District. Several skyscrapers were planned in a small area around the Skyline Plaza shopping center.

For the construction of new high-rise buildings there is a rough compatibility pattern in Frankfurt today. The buildings must keep a “respectful distance” from large parts of the city center and the ramparts. The Bahnhofsviertel and Westend are taboo as high-rise locations. High-rise clusters should not compete with functioning neighborhoods, but rather complement them. The high-rise master plan regulates precisely where new high-rise buildings in Frankfurt are to be built.