At Phoenix-Haus in Frankfurt, the existing external sun shading was replaced as part of the 2025 modernisation. New motorised WAREMA basic external venetian blinds with WMS radio control enable automated operation without additional control cables in the modernised office areas.
Built in 1997, the five-storey office complex at Berner Straße 119 in Frankfurt’s Nieder-Eschbach district was modernised in several areas in 2025. Building services were upgraded and room layouts made more flexible on the ground floor and the first and fourth floors, among other measures.
The plans also included improving the roof’s energy performance and modernising the existing external sun shading. The external venetian blinds, previously operated by hand crank, were to be replaced with a motorised solution.
A key planning requirement was to carry out the work while the building remained in use. Changes to the existing façade structure and additional cabling in the already modernised offices were to be avoided as far as possible.
The existing external venetian blinds were replaced with WAREMA basic external venetian blinds featuring flat slats and cable guidance. They are operated using the WMS radio control system.
The WMS plug-in receivers are connected to the respective motors and communicate via the WMS mesh network with WMS wall-mounted transmitters installed indoors. The components relay control commands within the radio network.
Installation required power cables to the motors and the weather-protected WMS plug-in receivers. Existing cable ducts on the façade could be used for this. No additional control cables were needed inside the office areas.
A qualified electrical contractor completed the electrical connections. WAREMA Technical Service commissioned and paired the WMS radio control system in coordination with Objektausstattungen Walter G. Angermeier GmbH.
Further WMS components, such as hand-held transmitters or custom scene controls, can be added if needed. This allows operation to be adapted if room layouts or uses change later.
The WMS radio control system supports various automatic functions. Automatic sun control adjusts the position of the external venetian blinds according to the position of the sun and light intensity. This allows the external sun shading to limit solar heat gain indoors and help protect the building against summer heat.
WMS weather stations plus on the sides of the façade also record weather data such as wind speed and solar radiation. The information is transmitted to the relevant radio receivers via the WMS mesh network.
When defined wind thresholds are reached, the external venetian blinds raise automatically. In this way, the control system helps protect the external sun shading equipment.
Automation also reduces the need for manual operation: The sun shading can respond automatically to sun and weather conditions according to the configured parameters.
The Phoenix-Haus project shows how existing external sun shading can be retrofitted with motorised external venetian blinds and radio-based controls without routing additional control cables through the modernised interiors.
The combination of WAREMA basic external venetian blinds and the WMS radio control system supports control tailored to demand and allows the system to be adapted or expanded later. Extending the solution to further floors of Phoenix-Haus is already planned and is feasible in principle thanks to its modular design.
- Property: Phoenix-Haus
- Location: Berner Straße 119, Frankfurt am Main-Nieder-Eschbach
- Building: five-storey office complex
- Year built: 1997
- Modernisation: 2025
- Modernised areas: ground floor, first floor and fourth floor
- Sun shading planning and installation: Objektausstattungen Walter G. Angermeier GmbH, Dieburg
- Sun shading: WAREMA basic external venetian blinds with flat slats and cable guidance
- Control system: WAREMA WMS radio control system
- Components: WMS plug-in receivers, WMS wall-mounted transmitters, WMS weather stations plus
- Radio technology: bidirectional WMS mesh network
- Implementation: modernisation of the sun shading while the building remained in use
WAREMA is the leading brand for technical sun shading products in Europe. For residential, commercial or public buildings, WAREMA supports architects and planners with individual sun shading solutions, optimally matched to on-site requirements and design needs. The range of products — from external venetian blinds and intelligent control systems to Outdoor Living solutions for external areas — delivers effective daylight control, contributes to the energy efficiency of buildings and enhances occupant comfort. The Architects’ Darling Award 2025 in Gold currently confirms WAREMA’s outstanding quality in the field of sun shading.