Westend and Campus Westend

Education and citizenshipm

A tour for visitors to Frankfurt and visitors interested in the history and buildings of Westend and Campus Westend.

Since the beginning of the 19th century, the Westend has been the residence of the wealthy Frankfurt middle class, which financed education and culture in the city. After the war, the villas were to give way to office towers. For the preservation of this upper middle-class heritage students fought in the 1960s. Well, not as demonstrative, they study on Campus Westend.

During the architectural walk you can still see some magnificent villas and hear exciting stories about many famous residents, as well as about the nationwide known protests of the 1960s.

The author of the 'Struwwelpeters', the psychiatrist Heinrich Hoffmann, initiated the construction of a modern psychiatric hospital in the second half of the 19th century, north of the Westend. After relocation of the clinic in the 1920s, settled on the grounds of the headquarters of IG Farben. The plans for this largest office building in Europe originate from architect Hans Poelzig. Shortly thereafter, however, even the greatest crimes were initiated here: the production of the concentration camp-extermination gas and the employment of many forced laborers. At various points on the site it is now remembered.

From 1945 until the 1990s, the building was used as the headquarters of the American armed forces in Germany, last hermetically sealed off. Open and accessible, it is now the main building of the Westend campus of Goethe University.

Instead of facades with slogans and posters, as on the former university campus, there is a mixture of discipline and relaxed serenity on Campus Westend. The modern and compact institute buildings with classic limestone facades represent a concentrated learning atmosphere, while the two wide green areas with large trees, shady lawns and many cafeteria terraces offer relaxation opportunities.

project selection

Westend

  • Triton (Nägele, Hofmann and Tiedemann, last renovation Claus & Kaan and Tectonics)
  • 'Hochhaus am Park' (high-rise building on the park) (ABB, KSP Jürgen Engel)
  • Palm House (Fritz Keyser, Ernst May, David Chipperfield)

Campus Westend

  • Master Plan (Ferdinand Heide Architects)
  • Main building (Hans Poelzig, conversion to the university building Dissing & Weitling)
  • Central lecture hall building, seminar building (Ferdinand Heide Architekten)
  • House of Finance (Kleihues Kleihues Architects)
  • Law and Economics, PEG - Psychology, Educational and Social Sciences and Presidential Board (Müller Reimann Architekten)
  • Max Planck Institute for European Legal History (Volker Staab Architekten)