News | Press Release

Becken and the Evangelical Church successfully conclude competition procedure for the Matthäus-Areal in Frankfurt

Frankfurt am Main, May 26, 2025

• Büro Meixner Schlüter Wendt wins contract for planning a unique ensemble of church and high-rise building
• Architectural competition for Frankfurt lighthouse project with 15 architectural firms
• New development of the Matthäus site in a prominent inner-city location between the main railway station and the exhibition grounds

Becken, a specialist in project development, revitalization, and asset and investment management for commercial and residential real estate, together with the Evangelical Regional Association of Frankfurt and Offenbach and the City of Frankfurt, has successfully completed the competitive bidding process—including the revision phase—for the future development of the Matthäus site in Frankfurt am Main. The design by the architectural firm Meixner Schlüter Wendt has been awarded the contract for the redevelopment of the Matthäus site with a complex comprising a high-rise building and a church. The site at Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage 33 and Hohenstaufenstraße 30 covers a total area of approximately 3,100 square meters. The design calls for a mixed-use office and residential high-rise, which, in accordance with Frankfurt’s building land resolution, will also include 30 percent subsidized housing and 15 percent innovative living spaces. The Matthäuskirche is to be replaced by a forward-looking new church building for the Evangelical Church. As part of the process, an architectural competition was held in collaboration with the City of Frankfurt, involving 15 international architectural firms.

The result of the competition process was preceded by a decision by the jury in July 2024, in which no first place was awarded, but two runners-up were awarded with the work of Boltshauser Architekten AG (Zurich) / meck Architekten (Munich) and Meixner Schlüter Wendt Planungs-GmbH (Frankfurt am Main) and two third-placed competition entries with the offices of Morger Partner Architekten AG (Frankfurt am Main) / Manuel Herz Architekten (Basel) and blrm Architekt*innen (Hamburg) / NL Architects (Amsterdam). At the same time, the jury recommended that the two second prize-winning offices revise their designs in a workshop. This revision phase was recently completed. The results of the competition and the revision phase will be on public display in the foyer of the City Planning Office from 03.06.2025.

Jens Hogekamp, Managing Director of Becken Development GmbH, says: "The winning design is the result of close and constructive collaboration with the Evangelical Regional Association of Frankfurt and Offenbach and the City of Frankfurt. The winning design by Meixner Schlüter Wendt convincingly expresses the special interplay between church space and high-rise architecture, while at the same time offering broad usability in an urban context."

Pastor Holger Kamlah, dean of the city and chairman of the board of the Evangelical Regional Association, says: "The Matthäus-Areal gives us the opportunity here in Frankfurt am Main to shape the church and urban development in a dialogical relationship. The planned ensemble combines church life and urban use in a way that creates new connections - for the congregation, for the neighborhood and for the people who will live, work and believe here in the future."

Dr. Annegreth Schilling, pastor of the Protestant Hope Church, says:
"The new Hope Church is centrally located between Frankfurt Trade Fair and the main railway station. Here, church and high-rise building, spirituality and everyday life enter into dialog with each other. The intensive collaboration with the architects is important for us to make the Hoffnungskirche a lively place. We are looking forward to that!"

City Councillor Prof. Dr. Marcus Gwechenberger, Head of Planning and Housing of the City of Frankfurt am Main, says: "The design is convincing in terms of urban planning and due to the new mix of uses: the high-rise building and the new church are conceived together. In addition to places of worship, community rooms and offices, there will also be subsidized, innovative and privately financed apartments. The entrances to the church, the foyer and the restaurants are arranged around a small square, which is located between the main railway station and the exhibition center on Alleenring. A place of worship is to be created at the top of the high-rise, which will also be used by the church."

The first urban planning phase of the competition with 15 participants began in December 2023 and was concluded with the first jury meeting in March 2024. The second competition phase then began with ten participating architectural firms, which ended with the jury meeting in mid-July 2024. This was followed by the workshop phase with the two runners-up, which was completed in May 2025.