Cffice Building, Hamburg

A figurehead for online captains

Like a gateway to the city of Hamburg, the Dockland office building stands at one end of Edgar-Engelhard-Kai, a street quay between the Norderelbe, the northern arm of the Elbe River, and the Fischereihafen, the harbour for the fishing trade. The ‘bow’ of this ship-like structure juts out freely over 40 metres to form a dynamic supplement to the ‘stern’ constituted by the neighbouring ferry terminal. The building offers roughly  9000 square metres of office space borne by a steel-frame superstructure. The width of the complex makes it possible to position communication zones such as kitchenettes or conference rooms ‘midships’, though the same applies for archives or spaces for printers. The large open areas containing freely appointed furnishings create a spacious work atmosphere. The glassed-in façade enables employees to enjoy the wonderful view of the port panorama from their offices. Those whose work leaves them no time for pleasurable gazing during the day can make up for it in the evening on the rooftop terrace. Even visitors who aren’t part of the office ‘crew’ can get to the terrace via a public outdoor staircase located at the ‘stern’ of the building.