Sauerbruch Hutton has won the competition for Headquarters 2 (HQ2) for the Haidenauplatz Quarter in Munich. This high-rise building will be the focal point of the newly developing Haidenauplatz district in Eastern Munich. Serving as HypoVereinsbank's second central location, it will stand alongside the iconic Hypo high-rise from the 1970s in the neighboring Bogenhausen district. The design by Sauerbruch Hutton and landscape architect MDP Michel Desvigne Paysagiste was chosen from a pool of nine other international participants.
The tower is built with varied proportions that are revealed depending on the point of view, giving it a dynamic appearance as one approaches it from several angles. When viewed from the city center or the rail line, it appears tall and vertical, and when viewed from the middle ring road and the S-Bahn station, it assumes a broader and horizontally emphasized form. The building's multidimensional look is due to its distinctive rhombus plan shape, which curves along the center axis. Moreover, the curvature gives the impression that two separate structures are discretely dividing the volume.
The central administration building's entrance is located on the northwest side of a small forecourt created by the building's tapering design, which widens at the street spaces. The building's rounded edges gently direct visitors in the direction of the entrance. Visitors are welcomed to the open foyer in front of the café through a short flight of steps that accommodates the level shift and continues within the building. After passing the entry control, employees and guests enter the roomy lift foyer, which provides access to all parts of the building.
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Winning Proposal for Thessaloniki's Fairground Redesign Introduces a Series of Pavilions within a Green LandscapeThe office spaces are structured in U shapes around two cores from the 3rd to the 13th level, with three-story terraced atriums connecting them vertically. Each atrium has a unique spatial character due to the alternate floor cuts connecting the office levels. These atriums serve as the focal points of the structure, providing spaces for informal collaboration and communication across departments as well as conference rooms, workstations, and common areas. A conference area featuring a range of meeting rooms is located on the 13th floor. On the rooftop, a restaurant offers wind-protected terraces with panoramic views of the city and the surrounding area.
The rhythmic arrangement of lesene strips and parapet bands characterizes the facade design. Their interaction highlights the structure's sweeping shape and creates a feeling of continuity. Brise-soleil elements are installed above the windows in front of the office areas to provide passive sun protection. All the lesene strips, parapets, and brise-soleil are clad with dark-colored glass, which incorporates photovoltaic elements. These components, along with the use of geothermal energy and ceilings made of wood-concrete hybrid materials, make the building environment-friendly. The building's versatility is highlighted by the monochromatic facade design, which intertwines technology and aesthetics with its use of premium materials and a dark color palette.
The design involves extensive preservation of existing trees and additional new plantings to improve the microclimate and provide continuously shaded pathways in the neighborhood. The topography of the parking lots creates depressions and drainage troughs that absorb precipitation water and hold it for later evaporation. Furthermore, the existing green space system in the nearby Bogenhausen neighborhood, one of Munich's greenest areas, served as the model for the open space concept.
Recently, Sauerbruch Hutton was awarded the winning proposal for redesigning Thessalniki’s ConfEx fairground. The project, designed by Sauerbruch Hutton, Elena Stavropoulou, and Gustafson Porter + Bowman as landscape architects, builds on the network of landmarks already present and creates a new hybrid landscape to meet the needs of the Northern Greek city's ambition to become the principal commercial and tourist destination in the area. Moreover, the firm has designed many buildings worldwide and specifically in Germany. The studio designed the Museum Brandhorst in Munich, which hosts a private collection of late 20th-century and contemporary art.
