Discover Germany | Special Theme | World Architecture Festival
HanseMerkur. Photos: Dominik Reipka
Thinking outside the box:
Querkopf-Architekten “To think differently is our award” is their motto and Querkopf-Architekten have demonstrated this with an impressive track record during the five busy years since opening their Hamburg office, right after graduating from university. TEXT: CORNELIA BRELOWSKI
They have just celebrated the handover of an iconic project for a Hamburg-based insurance company that is likely to draw international attention. A transparent construction with large glass walls and a roof resembling the paper wings of Origami birds, the entry hall and forecourt for the HanseMerkur headquarters is set in a central spot of the city between 94 | Issue 43 | October 2016
Dammtor and Kennedybrücke. The company’s building complex shows influences from various centuries, united by their functional purpose only. The new entry hall and the area in front of the headquarters is to become a flagship project for the company site, demanding immediate attention and focus, as well as providing a unifying effect for the
ensemble. For both roof and facade, the use of the innovative solid surface LGHIGH MACS mineral material ensures robust durability. A timeless sculpture of a hall, its iconic form adds to the urban landscape while at the same time expressing a warm embrace towards both employees and customers. The two partners Wasfy Taha and Fionn Mögel opened their office in 2011 while working on a grand project, the dormant Vattenfall powerhouse ‘Bullerdeich’ in Hamburg. Due to their close connection to construction and a high aspiration for