Originally characterized by opaque asbestos-containing panels and a rigid administrative expression, the building is being stripped back to its structural frame. The intervention replaces these outdated façades with high-performance glazed envelopes, introducing transparency, environmental performance, and spatial flexibility.

The design strategy follows a principle long associated with Lacaton & Vassal: never demolish when transformation is possible. By preserving the concrete skeleton – columns, beams, slabs – the project significantly reduces embodied carbon. The new glass façade becomes a climatic and architectural upgrade layered onto the existing structure.

A defining feature of the intervention is the addition of continuous projecting balconies running along the elevations. These balconies form a transitional buffer zone between interior and exterior. Behind them, floor-to-ceiling glazing allows abundant daylight into the new apartments and office spaces. The depth of the balconies enables seasonal adaptability, acting as winter gardens that improve thermal comfort and solar control.

Technically, the façade is expected to employ insulating glass units with low-emissivity coatings to enhance energy efficiency, combined with thermally broken aluminium framing systems. Laminated safety glass is likely used for balcony balustrades and enclosure elements, ensuring compliance with residential performance standards.

The result is not an erasure of the building’s modernist identity, but its evolution. The horizontal rhythm of the original design is preserved, while transparency replaces opacity. Glass becomes the tool that converts an administrative complex into 176 residential units and mixed-use spaces, including 35% social and affordable housing.

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Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2026, with completion expected in 2031, closing a chapter that has defined post-9/11 rebuilding efforts for more than two decades. Developed by Silverstein Properties and designed by Foster + Partners, the new tower will rise 55 storeys, delivering nearly two million square feet of premium office space, enough to accommodate up to 10,000 employees in what will become a purpose-built corporate headquarters for American Express.

The road to this point has been anything but straightforward. The original 2006 concept envisioned a crystalline skyscraper designed by Foster + Partners, shaped with a diamond-like crown. Years later, as media companies were targeted as potential tenants, the design shifted dramatically to a stacked-box concept by Bjarke Ingels Group, a bold, terraced form intended to reflect the collaborative culture of creative firms. But as leasing plans shifted and major deals failed to materialise, the project returned to Foster’s vision, now refined to suit a single corporate occupant and a more unified architectural identity.

The confirmed design introduces a sleek glass façade with stepped setbacks and extensive outdoor terraces. More than an acre of landscaped exterior space is integrated into the tower, creating elevated gardens and open-air collaboration zones that respond to modern workplace expectations. Rather than a pure vertical slab, the building intentionally softens its massing, allowing light and views across the memorial site, the Hudson River and the evolving Lower Manhattan skyline.

Technically, the building is positioned as a next-generation workplace. Fully electric systems, smart-building technologies and high-performance façades are planned, with the tower targeting LEED sustainability standards. These features align with the broader shift among global corporations toward highly efficient, health-conscious office environments that blend environmental performance with employee experience.

The economic impact is equally substantial. The project is expected to generate more than 3,200 construction-related jobs and inject billions into the New York economy during development. Importantly, it will proceed without city or state subsidies, a rare example of a privately driven mega-project moving ahead in an era when many office developments face uncertainty.

For developer Larry Silverstein, the launch of Two World Trade Center represents more than another skyscraper; it fulfils a long-promised vision of completing the rebuilt World Trade Center campus. And for New York City, the project signals something equally powerful: renewed confidence in Lower Manhattan as a global business destination.

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Located in the heart of the Belgian capital, the project represents a clear shift toward renovation-driven transformation rather than demolition. The intervention focused primarily on the building envelope, where glass became the defining tool in improving both aesthetics and technical performance. More than 7,000 m² of insulating glass were installed, creating a new visual clarity while significantly upgrading thermal, acoustic and energy behaviour.

The project was designed by A2RC, with construction works carried out by CIT Blaton. The scope centred on facades and curtain walls, reflecting the growing role of façade renewal in extending the life cycle of urban office towers.

The original curtain wall no longer met today’s expectations for insulation or airtightness. A new façade concept introduced a high-performance system based on Stopray Solar Control glass combined with Stratophone Clearvision acoustic glazing. This combination allows the façade to simultaneously manage solar gains, improve indoor comfort and maintain strong visual transparency, a balance increasingly requested in modern office retrofits.

Stopray’s triple-silver solar control coating reduces overheating while preserving daylight, helping decrease cooling loads and stabilise internal temperatures. On the interior layer, Stratophone Clearvision integrates an acoustic PVB interlayer designed to reduce external noise transmission, an essential feature for dense city environments where occupant comfort directly influences workspace quality. The extra-clear composition also ensures a neutral appearance, preserving façade elegance even in thicker glass configurations.

The installation of the new glazing, integrated into aluminium profiles with thermal breaks, transforms the curtain wall into an active performance component rather than a passive exterior skin. Energy demand has been reduced while user comfort has been noticeably increased, reinforcing the role of glass as a multifunctional building material.

Beyond the façade, the renovation included upgraded technical systems such as heat recovery, LED lighting, intelligent climate control, rooftop photovoltaic panels and rainwater harvesting. These measures support long-term operational efficiency while aligning with Brussels’ sustainability objectives. All glass products used are Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze, reflecting a broader industry shift toward circular material selection.

Inside the tower, flexible office layouts and raised access floors allow future adaptability, ensuring that the building can evolve alongside changing workspace requirements. The result is a renewed landmark, one that bridges architectural heritage with forward-looking performance through the strategic use of advanced glass technologies.

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Zak World of Façades is widely recognized as a leading global conference dedicated to façade design, engineering, and technology. With more than 200 editions held worldwide, the series has built a strong reputation for connecting architects, façade engineers, consultants, contractors, developers, and system suppliers through high-level technical discussions and real project case studies.

Among the participating companies and partners announced for the Rome edition are WICONA Italia, AGC Glass Asia, dott Gallina, Elval Colour, Etex, Florim Ceramiche, Guardian Glass Europe, Marazzi Group, Montanstahl AG, Rothoblaas, Şişecam, Tecnografica, and NYX S.R.L.

Hosting the event in Rome underscores Italy’s continued importance in architectural innovation and façade engineering. The 216th edition promises to provide a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and collaboration among industry leaders shaping the future of the built environment.

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Developed as one of the largest privately financed residential projects in HafenCity, Eleven Decks comprises 306 apartments arranged above a ground-floor retail base. The stepped building mass rises to 11 storeys, offering a diverse residential programme that includes one-room apartments, multi-room units, and a penthouse level with landscaped roof terraces. Shared amenities such as co-working spaces, fitness and yoga rooms, a club-style communal area with open kitchen, barbecue facilities, and a green inner courtyard support a contemporary, community-oriented living concept.

Designed by CARSTEN ROTH ARCHITEKT, the project has already received the German Design Award 2024 and Residential Buildings of the Year 2025, while achieving BREEAM “Excellent” certification, confirming its strong ecological and socio-cultural performance.

From a façade perspective, the glazing solution plays a decisive role in meeting both comfort and sustainability targets. isophon glas supplied a high-performance triple-glazed insulating glass unit, designed to deliver very good thermal insulation, effective sound reduction, and high daylight transmission, critical factors in HafenCity’s busy, waterfront environment. On the street-facing loggias, the system was enhanced with a suspended impact pane equipped with an anti-condensation coating, ensuring clear visibility, reduced surface moisture, and long-term façade quality.

The jury noted that the façade demonstrates how advanced glass technology can be precisely adapted to architectural requirements, achieving a balance between transparency, protection, and energy efficiency without compromising design intent.

Founded in 1979, isophon glas is a family-owned specialist employing around 200 people, producing insulating glass, laminated safety glass, and toughened safety glass for demanding projects across Europe. The award underlines the company’s long-standing expertise and its alignment with SANCO’s focus on quality-driven, sustainable glazing solutions.

Established in 2024, the SANCO Reference Award highlights exemplary projects by SANCO partners, assessing not only design and performance but also workmanship, logistics, and responsible construction practices, criteria clearly met by Eleven Decks.

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FOUR Frankfurt is a large-scale mixed-use development redefining the former Deutsche Bank site in the heart of Frankfurt’s banking district. Developed by Groß & Partner, the project introduces a compact, vertical urban ensemble composed of four high-rise towers with differentiated functions and façade strategies. The architectural concept is led by UNStudio, while HPP Architekten is responsible for approval and execution planning, ensuring continuity between design intent and technical delivery.

The tallest structure within the ensemble, Tower 1, reaches a height of 233 metres and represents the most technically advanced façade package of the development. Primarily designed for office use, the tower adopts a unitised double-skin façade system, selected to address energy performance, user comfort, and regulatory requirements in one of Europe’s most demanding high-rise environments.

The confirmed façade scope for Tower 1 includes approximately 29,800 m² of unitised double-skin façade elements, supplemented by around 1,150 m² of post-and-rail façade areas and 2,700 m² of additional cladding zones. Fabrication and installation were delivered by Dobler Metallbau, with façade installation taking place between February 2022 and June 2023. Within the wider FOUR Frankfurt development, façade responsibilities are clearly divided: Dobler Metallbau executed the façades for the office towers, including Tower 1, while Josef Gartner was commissioned for the façades of the residential towers.

Façade engineering and performance consultancy for Tower 1 was carried out by Priedemann Fassadenberatung, supported by SGS, reflecting the project’s strong emphasis on façade performance, safety, and long-term operational efficiency.

The double-skin façade is composed of factory-assembled elements integrating multiple functional layers into a single unit. The outer skin consists of heat-strengthened glass (TVG), acting as a protective weather and impact layer. The inner layer incorporates triple-glazed units, providing high levels of thermal insulation and acoustic comfort. Integrated roller blinds are housed within the cavity of the double façade, enabling effective solar control while remaining protected from external exposure.

Ventilation is achieved through full-height ventilation grilles positioned adjacent to the glazing, rather than conventional openable windows. This strategy supports a controlled indoor climate and aligns with the building’s low-energy operational concept.

From a systems perspective, the façade utilises Schüco aluminium solutions, with the double-skin construction based on the Schüco AWS 75 platform. In selected areas, the façade combines Schüco FWS 60 curtain wall construction with the ASE 80 TC thermally insulated sliding system, enabling large glazed openings while maintaining performance targets.

The project also integrates approximately 600 fire and smoke protection door units across the four towers using Schüco ADS 90 FR 30 and FR 90 systems, supplied by RFE Rauch- und Feuerschutz-Elemente. At roof level, Tower 1 features standing-seam aluminium cladding executed with BEMO aluminium systems in an anthracite finish.

FOUR Frankfurt stands as a clear reference for contemporary high-rise façade execution in dense European urban contexts, where envelope design, system integration, and performance engineering are central to architectural and operational success.

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