The draft for the new Deutschlandhaus complex on Gänsemarkt plaza was decided upon unanimously in a so-called “workshop process” involving five contending entrants. The further handling and adaptation thereof was closely co-ordinated and agreed with the city’s chief planning director, district administration and the municipal office for the protection of buildings and monuments with a historical heritage.

In keeping with the tradition of Hamburg’s venerable “Kontorhäuser” – a combination of mercantile counting houses and warehouses in one – a modern building is being built that meets the challenges of our day and age, all the way up to sustainability, while simultaneously maintaining the site’s urban spatial spirit. Red brickwork, the material that acts as key visual stylising element, dominates the exterior façade, enhanced by flat, long stone formats placed vertically in freely styled groupings. The consequence is a focus on the fundamental materials stone and glass. Heading upwards, the continuously increasing proportions of glass impart a finely balanced elegance to the structure.

Indoors, a publicly accessible atrium suffused with light bearing an ellipsoid floor plan is coming about. Visually overlapping interior terraces that rise over roughly 35 metres enable a fascinating atmosphere to emerge along with multifaceted options for use. Orbiting pools of water and a palm grove define the heart of the building complex and form a deliberate contrast to the urban surroundings. This space became possible as a result of three-dimensional building models created early on during the drafting process along with planning parametrically supported by algorithms. An integral planning approach, which all specialised disciplines worked closely together towards achieving, ensured that all technical and economic issues were taken into account and, despite the complexity thereof, an efficient construction workflow remained possible.

Out of a sense of responsibility towards the environment and society, Deutschlandhaus is being built in scrupulous compliance with the quality standards issued by USGBC, the United States Green Building Council. The goal is certification in the category LEED Gold (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). A pre-certification has already been attained.