The PRISMA x Drees & Sommer: When User Needs Become the Benchmark
Drees & Sommer is one of the leading consulting firms in the real estate industry—renowned for sustainable, economical, and forward-looking solutions. At the PRISMA Frankfurt, the team led by Prof. Dr. Lena Reiss set new standards: instead of starting with the building, they began with the needs of its future users.
Putting People First:
In an extensive qualitative and quantitative survey, the community in the Lyoner Quartier was asked what they truly want. What functions must the building fulfill? What atmosphere should it create? What role should PRISMA play in people’s daily lives?
From the results, a completely new evaluation approach was developed: the Wellbeing Score. This metric measures how strongly a building promotes the wellbeing of its users—making a previously intangible topic measurable for the first time.
“PRISMA is a true landmark in the district—a place that unites structure and openness,” says Lena Reiss.
“The glass façade stands for clarity; the open atrium symbolizes community. This balance is the building’s unique selling point.”
From Vision to Reality:
A particularly notable insight was the strong desire for open spaces, retreats, and meeting places. Based on this, the idea of a “pocket park” inside the building was born—a publicly accessible green space at the heart of the PRISMA. The owners have embraced these impulses and are designing the large atrium as a meeting place for the entire neighborhood.
“Sustainability doesn’t start with technology for us—it starts with people,” Reiss emphasizes.
“Only when users and buildings evolve together can true quality emerge over the long term—ecologically, socially, and economically.”
By involving users early and developing an innovative evaluation tool, Drees & Sommer have made a pioneering contribution to the PRISMA—demonstrating how a new generation of real estate is created: evidence-based, participatory, and future-oriented.