Highlight Towers is a twin tower office
skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ris ...
complex completed in 2004 in
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, planned by architects
Murphy/Jahn
Helmut Jahn (January 4, 1940 – May 8, 2021) was a German-American architect, known for projects such as the Sony Center on Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, Germany; the Messeturm in Frankfurt, Germany; the Thompson Center in Chicago; One Liberty ...
of
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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. Tower I is tall with 33
storeys
A storey (British English) or story (American English) is any level part of a building with a floor that could be used by people (for living, work, storage, recreation, etc.). Plurals for the word are ''storeys'' (UK) and ''stories'' (US).
Th ...
, and Tower II is tall with 28 storeys, which make them among the highest buildings in the city. The towers are joined by two
skyway
A skyway, skybridge, skywalk, or sky walkway is an elevated type of pedway connecting two or more buildings in an urban area, or connecting elevated points within mountainous recreational zones. Urban skyways very often take the form of enclos ...
s made of glass and steel. Also in the complex are two low-rise buildings between the twin towers, that serve as a hotel and additional office space. Overall, the facility offers approximately of office space.
The towers are slightly shifted in the historic sightline of
Odeonsplatz
The Odeonsplatz is a large square in central Munich which was developed in the early 19th century by Leo von Klenze and is at the southern end of the Ludwigstraße, developed at the same time. The square is named for the former concert hall, t ...
on
Ludwigstraße
The Ludwigstraße in Munich is one of the city's four royal avenues next to the Brienner Straße, the Maximilianstraße and the Prinzregentenstraße. Principal was King Ludwig I of Bavaria, the avenue is named in his honour. The city's grandest ...
with
Victory Gate to the north and form a focal point for visitors coming from the north of the city.
Tenants
The best known tenants of the buildings are the IT and consulting firms
Unify and
Fujitsu Technology Solutions
Fujitsu Technology Solutions is a European information technology vendor with a presence in markets in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, as well as India. A subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, FTS was founded in 2009 after F ...
, as well as
IBM.
Controversy
With construction works finished in the same year as
Hochhaus Uptown München
Hochhaus Uptown München ( en, Munich Uptown Building) is a skyscraper in the Moosach district of Munich, Germany. The 38-storey tower is the tallest skyscraper in the city.
The building's glass facade wraps the structure of the building like ...
, the two towers helped motivate the formation of a citizens' initiative aimed at preventing the development of further structures of this type and size. Leading architects criticized the buildings as "imported imitation architecture" and "faceless yard ware", while local residents expressed concerns related to the skyscrapers destroying the traditional cityscape.
Gallery
References
External links
Highlight Towers official website
{{Authority control
Skyscrapers in Munich
Twin towers
Tourist attractions in Munich
Skyscraper office buildings in Germany
Helmut Jahn buildings
Office buildings completed in 2004