Philip Johnson - Puerta de Europa - Madrid, Spain
N 40° 28.007 W 003° 41.303
30T E 441641 N 4479794
The Gate of Europe towers were designed by the American architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee, built by Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas and commissioned by the Kuwait Investment Office (hence their initial name "Torres KIO" or "KIO Towers")
Waymark Code: WMZ730
Location: Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
Date Posted: 09/21/2018
Views: 11
The towers have a height of 114 m (374 ft) and have 26 floors. They were constructed from 1989 to 1996. Each building is 115 m tall with an inclination of 15°, making them the first inclined skyscrapers in the world.
In order for construction to be feasible, a significant setback from the street was required in order to clear a subway interchange. What one architect may see as an obstacle, Johnson and Burgee saw as an opportunity to explore an unconventional avenue of architecture in order to realize a proper solution.
A 60x10x10 meter concrete counterweight located on the opposite side of inclination underground and connected to the top by cable provides the necessary resistance to counteract the forces trying to overturn the towers. A primary diagrid of structural steel on the perimeters of the building and a reinforced central core housing the main vertical circulation serves to further strengthen the buildings. Secondary horizontal and vertical structural steel members serve to strengthen the diagrid members and provide the necessary lateral stability. Typically, these elements are hidden in this type of construction. However, the design team chose to highlight these elements in a clean but very informative manner, resulting in a structure that can be read and deciphered from the pedestrian perspective. The primary structure is clad with stainless steel with the secondary horizontal and vertical members clad with red metal. A dark reflective curtain wall with charcoal mullions comprises the infill between the structural elements.
Architect: Philip Johnson
Building Type: Commercial
Date Built: 1996
City building is located in: Madrid
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