Starting point for the eight-story new building were a vacant former local switching entity and an old post office. According to the plans made by the architects, both were overbuilt by a four-story new office building featuring a modern shape language and party shining red façades. A great technical challenge was the requirement that no loads were permitted to be lead into the old building due to statics reasons.

Sensitive Embedding

In order to make optimal use of the premises’ location and to embed the new building into its heterogeneous surroundings as well as possible, agn Niederberghaus + Partner have developed a block-like ensemble with a central courtyard, touching the water with a long building bolt towards the South. Towards the North, the building integrates itself with a rather unobtrusive front into the already existing row of building along Frankenstraße. Across a rounded, slightly pushed back lobby of glass, employees and visitors get into the inner part of Frankenquai with its total of nearly 16,000 square meters of office area.

Red Glass Façade  

Apart from the well-made urban integration, the new building convinces especially through its versatile design and façades. Striking eye-catcher are the often deployed elements of red colored glass in four different shades. The colored shell allows, in interplay with a few white areas, for a harmonious embedding of old and new, and at the same time creates a well-made relation to the other brick building in its surroundings. In contrast to this, the agn Niederberghaus + Partner architects have designed the façades towards the inner courtyard in utter white to allow for an optimal daylight usage inside the offices.

The impression towards the South is a totally different one: Here, the red glass elements emphasize, in the form of transparent balcony banisters, the horizontal character of the building bolt by the water. An interesting relation is created with the Hammerbrook rapid transit system station with its bit long in the tooth red painted metal sheet shell a few hundred meters away. Maybe the ones in charge at the local authorities get inspired and replace the not very attractive station through an appealing new one. Held in red for a cheerful community, maybe.

Further projects from Hamburg…