Westend-Tower (Westendstraße 1), Frankfurt

The Westend-Tower is not a typical office building. Back in 1995, locals knew it as Westendstraße 1, and it received the "Best Building of the Year" award for its versatile design and architecture. This skyscraper stands at 53 stories high, reaching a height of 208 meters (about 682 feet) in Frankfurt's Westend-Süd district. It was finished in 1993 and, along with the nearby City-Haus, serves as the headquarters for DZ Bank. Among Frankfurt's skyscrapers, it ranks as the third tallest, both in the city and in Germany as a whole.

The exterior of the building is covered in elegant golden granite, giving it a bright, white appearance when viewed from a distance. The architect behind this creation is William Pedersen. At the tower's peak, there's a distinctive ring beam, often referred to as the "crown." This feature draws inspiration from the Statue of Liberty but also serves as a nod to Frankfurt's historical role as the city where German emperors were once crowned. The crown faces towards the old part of Frankfurt, where coronations took place at the Frankfurt Cathedral.

To avoid the formation of icicles that could pose a danger to pedestrians and cars below, the 95-tonne steel crown is heated during the winter months. Additionally, in front of the entrance, there's an art sculpture called "Inverted Collar and Tie" by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen.