A total of 71 architects’ offices from Europe, the US and Japan took part in the competition for the new European Central Bank headquarters. In addition to creating a structure with a floor area of 100,000 m2, the brief required the integration of Martin Elsässer’s Expressionist market hall, dating from 1928. In February and March, the competition designs were exhibited in the German Architectural Museum (DAM) in Frankfurt. The winners were Coop Himmelb(l)au from Vienna, whose twin towers flanking a glazed atrium complied most closely with the conditions of the brief. The second prize was won by ASP Schweger from Berlin with an ensemble of four towers 150 m high and tied together by a flat-topped “sky-iron” roof 250 m long. The city justifiably opposed this design on the ground that it was too massive. The third prize went to 54f Architects from Darmstadt, whose bioclimatic conservatory was pleasing enough, although the concept of a series of tower blocks negates the idea of internal communication.