Success for Future Award - Schüco Green Building Award

Unilever’s new headquarter building for Germany, Austria and Switzerland is only a stone’s throw from the Cruise Ship Terminal in Hamburg. Here, everything is influenced by the harbour’s maritime character.

The generous atrium, which, on the ground floor, is accessible to the public, is the heart of the design. The glass roof and transparent facades fill the whole interior with daylight. Friendly colours give it the atmosphere of being outside, on a summer’s day. The atrium is also the central location for people to meet and communicate. As in a city, bridges, ramps and steps connect central spaces with each other. So-called “Meeting Points” encourage informal meetings.

The building follows the idea of holistic, sustainable architecture. While implementing technologies that help save resources, the energy concept adheres to the principle of avoiding technical solutions wherever possible. The office area is cooled by means of thermally activated reinforced concrete ceilings. A single-layer film facade placed in front of the building's insulation glazing protects the daylight-optimized blinds from strong wind and other weather influences. The building's primary energy consumption during operation is under 100 Kwh/a m2. A newly developed SMD-LED system both for the building's general lighting and for workplace lighting is up to seventy per cent more efficient than conventional halogen or metal halide lighting. The Unilever building received the newly established HafenCity EcoLabel in gold.