Under commission of the Kuwait Investment Office (KIO), the American architects Philip Johnson & John Burgee were responsible for the design of Puerta de Europa I and II, two twin office towers, located in Madrid, Spain. Their design is spectacular, contemporary and they are placed in a key location-one of Madrid’s most important boulevards called Paseo de la Castellana.
There is also a counterweight that is necessary to counteract the forces that could overturn the towers. It’s a 60x10x10 meter concrete counterweight. The structure of the buildings is made of steel so it can offer stability. The steel structure can be noticed by passers by.
The main structure is combined with stainless steel while the secondary structure is clad with red metal. The space between the structural elements has a dark reflective curtain that has charcoal mullions. Even if the towers are alike there is one element that differentiates them. The west tower has a blue helipad on the roof and its eastern twin has a red helipad.