Marcel Glapski
Mario Bellini
Mario Bellini Architects
"Sphere", Deutsche Bank, Frankfurt am Main
2011
When you enter the lobby of the Deutsche Bank headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, you are greeted by the sculpture "Sphere", a huge sphere traversed by two bridges. It was designed by Milanese architect and designer Mario Bellini and realized by Arnold in 2011 on the occasion of the extensive renovation of the Deutsche Bank towers.
The gigantic sphere, 16 meters in diameter, may look light, but it meant a heavy piece of work and meticulous planning. A total of 33 tons of specially rolled stainless steel have been processed in it. The search for a rolling mill capable of producing the specially grained surface, which reflects the incident light rays particularly well, took three months. After detailed structural planning by a partner, Arnold designers transferred the line model into a 3D CAD system and the production of the 1440 individual laser-cut stainless steel parts, each of them individually shaped, could start. It was a logistical challenge to deliver the right parts to Frankfurt at the right time, because they were welded together piece by piece on the spot. The assembly took in total 18 weeks.
The Sphere, which symbolizes the internal and international network of the Deutsche Bank, is traversed by two 22 meter long and 15 ton heavy bridges made of stainless steel coated steel and walkable glass floors, which Arnold also realized.
We say "THANK YOU" to Deutsche Bank and Mario Bellini for their trust in this incredibly spectacular project.
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