City South was conceived as a counterpart to City North back in the late 1970s and is now an established office location in the former Hammerbrook district, which was once a densely populated working-class residential area and was completely destroyed during the war. The targeted construction of new residential buildings, hotel buildings and the upgrading of the waterfront locations on the canals are transforming City South into a dense mixed-use district. This is where the architects from gmp - Gerkan, Marg and Partners have completed the new European headquarters for Olympus, which focuses on medical technology. The new campus is also home to the new work company Design Offices, which operates coworking spaces on the first floor as well as a public café and conference and event spaces that are accessible around the clock and thus contribute to the revitalization of the quarter.

With its Hanseatic brick façade, the new building creates clear urban spaces on Heidenkampsweg and the adjacent streets. Where previously there was a fragmented development with a parking lot in front, the new volume fills an entire urban block. The complex of three seven to eleven-storey buildings responds to the size and rhythm of the surrounding buildings. The concept as a block creates four green inner courtyards, in which outdoor seating for the Olympus company restaurant and quiet zones are located.

The main entrances to the headquarters on Wendenstrasse and Heidenkampsweg lead into a large foyer, which merges into the campus as a covered atrium. An open staircase leads to the level of the training and conference center. The internal layout is based on a total of seven circulation cores, which are evenly distributed throughout the building. There are clearly defined areas for office use and multi-space rooms with a room depth of 14.50 m, which are lit on both sides. The depth of the usage units allows the design of a triple system with external offices and a central zone for special functions and think tanks. The offices are each assigned meeting areas and creative zones, which are located in the six- and eight-storey intermediate buildings. Particular emphasis was placed on sustainability in the design and construction. The campus was certified in gold by the DGNB as a low-energy building.

www.gmp.de

Photos:

Marcus Bredt
www.marcusbredt.de

(Published in CUBE Hamburg 02|22)