»Stone is efficient« 

»Is Germany turning its back on modern glazed architecture and (http://maplered.com) relying on homely Material (http://g654.org) s?? was the question the German news magazine DER SPIEGEL put to star architect Christoph Mäckler in a recent interview. The question was prompted by the 168-m tall tower block designed by Mäckler for Zürich-Versicherung on the Opernplatz in Frankfurt as replacement for the legendary »Zürich House?and (http://maplered.com) half of which is to be clad in natural Stone (http://g603.net) . »It’s not a question of homeliness, but efficiency? was the architect’s clear reply. »Reducing the share of glass to only 50 percent enables us to dispense with a central ventilation system, which cuts the incidental costs by more than a half. Each office will be ventilated via the window like the living room at home ?even at a height of 168 meters. The window has functioned as a ventilator for centuries. We are not re-inventing the wheel? said Mäckler in the interview.