The new main customs office building in Hamburg’s HafenCity is conceived as a structure that harmoniously complements the urban block with a modern reinterpretation of a classic brick facade, fitting elegantly into the urban fabric.

Each street front of the building offers a distinct address: a prominent visitor entrance at Shanghaiallee/Koreastraße leads to a double-height waiting area, the staff entrance is located on Shanghaiallee, and a third access point serves a separate part of the building facing Am Lohsepark. A recessed corner façade and generous glazing articulates the base of the building, providing a sense of lightness and transparency in contrast to the compact design of the upper levels.

Optimized to be as slim and efficient as possible, the U-Shaped building maximizes the use of natural light with its elongated courtyard hugging the neighboring green fire wall. This new structure aligns with HafenCity’s aesthetic, echoing the small-scale, traditional brick façade of the office building across Koreastraße, and together framing the northern entry to Lohsepark.

The office spaces are discernible in the façade’s structural composition, with wide panoramic windows that flood the interior with light, compensating for its northern orientation. The punched design of the façade reduces the amount of glazing used while offering surprising details and a characteristic palette of materials and colors that bestow the building with a distinct identity. The brick motif extends throughout, with the transparency of the glazed visitor area blending indoor and outdoor spaces, and fostering an inside-out feel enhanced by sightlines into a verdant courtyard.