So wohne ich: Room with a View

We all know what these towers look like from the outside. But aren’t you curious to see inside? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in such a tower? Well, we have. Another Frankfurter has invited us into their home. We are very grateful and hugely excited to see this beauty from the inside.

Grand Tower, which is located at Skyline Plaza, is Germany’s tallest residential tower stretching 172 meters into the sky. It’s sleek and gleaming white balconied exterior has gained much attention from tourists, locals and the international community. The tower was a finalist in the World Architecture Festival 2016. Originally marketed to the international community, in particular Asia and the Middle East, Grand tower has increased Frankfurt’s international presence in terms of cosmopolitan living. 

The interior design has been shaped to provide an abundance of natural light and transparency

Entering the six-meter-high lobby we are not disappointed. It feels like a luxury hotel. Our attention is immediately drawn to the mesmerising mosaic wall. This intricate design of small sparkling tiles is all the more attention grabbing because the wall is not straight but flows in a natural curve. Following the flow leads us to an elegant seating area crowned by a magnificent low hanging chandelier. Our attention however, is stolen back by the inquisitive stare of the concierge seated behind a lavishly long counter top. 

We explain that we are expected. After a quick call we are ushered behind the mosaic master piece to the huge elevators at the back. The Elevator is still clad in plywood to protect the interior while residents move in. We reach the apartment door which is already open…the rest you can get first hand from the residents themselves.

Living the high life, firmly grounded in reality

“The move started last August. We were lucky to get all the basics done before the Corona restrictions increased. But we did have a few issues with deliveries as they were not allowed to enter the apartment and dumped everything at the door. We were one of the first to move in as apartments were handed over starting from June 2020.

When we decided to move in together it became clear it would be in a new home and not in either of our existing apartments. He moved from a two-bedroom rental in Bornheim and I moved here from Hochstadt. I’d been living there in the same apartment for over 25 years. It was my first place after moving out from home. I have many great memories of living in Hochstadt. It has a lovely historic town with old apple orchards in the surrounding fields. However, I have always had the city in my heart. The city is where I feel alive and most at ease.

A dream come true

Living in a skyscraper has always been a dream of mine. There’s something very aspirational and futuristic about it. It’s not something that you immediately connect with Germany but it is something that I connect deeply with Frankfurt. I am proud that Frankfurt has forged a different path than many other German cities and wanted to be a part of this transformation. We had been looking for some time at potential apartments. When Henninger Tower came on the market in 2015 we were also interested but it somehow just didn’t work out. 

When I first heard of Grand Tower I was instantly taken with the idea. The sleek and beautiful design, the fact that it is the tallest residential tower in Germany, the attention to detail and the nod to exclusivity were very appealing to me. 

Reaching for the stars

The process of acquiring the apartment was not altogether easy. If we had not been considering this for some years we may not have committed right away. Everything went very fast. There was a real sense of urgency. We had to decide within the space of a few hours. This decision was based on pictures and diagrams. The construction had not even begun. My heart was pounding!

Initially I wanted something quite high up around the 30th floor but this was already taken. The general rule is the higher you live the more you pay. Nevertheless, we are very happy with our final decision. Our apartment looks west so we get beautiful sunsets over the Taunus mountains. 

Cosy and comfy trumps elegance and grace

We haven’t quite finished decorating everything. I’m still on the search for the perfect lighting solution. Generally, I would say my style is modern and timeless with a hint of cosy. For me cosy and comfy trumps elegance and grace every time. I like Nordic and Scandinavian design but I would never design the whole apartment in this one style. I prefer to mix things up a bit but tend to keep it timeless.

Home is an emotion which evokes feelings of belonging

Of course, the most obvious advantage of tower living is the view. It is breath-taking but I wouldn’t say this is the best thing about living here. I think what makes a house into a home is that emotion you feel when you enter the place. I have only been here since August but I already feel at home. When I pass the concierge and enter the elevator, as soon as the doors close, I immediately relax. As the elevator rises up into the tower, I feel lighter. I can leave any stress and anxiety downstairs. Up here life is just that little bit more beautiful.

Amenities for all

The building has some communal areas such as the Sunset Terrace and the Grand Garden. The Sunset Deck is on the 43rd floor and offers amazing panorama views of the city. Grand Garden on the 7th floor is a huge wide-open space with 1000sqm. Last summer it was still under construction but this year it should have loungers, water features and a herb garden. There is also a kitchen club on the rooftop garden level where you can host parties and events. We are really looking forward to making use of these facilities.

All residents have access to the concierge app. Here we can raise issues with the building management, order services, and even chat with each other. Although we also have a WhatsApp group for this. It’s still early days and because of Corona contact has been forced to a minimum. But we already have reached out to quite a few other residents even if it has not always been face to face.

The location is very well connected. The tram, subway and busses are all within five minutes’ walk and E-Scooters are on every street corner. Westend is five minutes’ walk away. Bockenheim is just around the corner and of course Skyline Plaza is on our doorstep. My favourite places so far are the Freitagsküche on Mainzer Landstrasse for a bit of bohemian Berlin feeling, and Gekko House rooftop. They hosted some amazing summer sundowners last year and I will definitely visit again as soon as it is possible.”

Want to know more about living in other districts of Frankfurt? Check out our articles about other lovely apartments and walks around the neighborhoods.