Coffee Plaza
Richard Meier & Partners

Photo: Klaus Frahm

Situated on a podium of prime real-estate overlooking the Sandtorpark, various harbor basins and Hamburg's traditional skyline, the new corporate headquarters for Neumann Kaffee Gruppe (NKG), aptly called Coffee Plaza, acts as an anchor in Hamburg's refurbished harbor.

The site also includes two adjacent office buildings and a large public plaza.

The elliptical glass tower is made up of eleven floors of office space and an additional penthouse level, labeled as a "sculptural roofscape," with conference rooms. The ground floor which also offers a spectacular view, will house a restaurant.

Photo: Klaus Frahm

Photo: Klaus Frahm

"This building is a great achievement, both technically and aesthetically, we feel it stands apart as a classic modern structure on the newly redesigned waterfront./Richard Meier

Photo: Klaus Frahm

Photo: Klaus Frahm

A number of innovative features were developed specifically for the tower. In addition to strict municipal zoning and sustainability requirements, new mechanical systems and facades were designed to minimize energy consumption while providing a working environment with natural ventilation and daylight. Vertical glass louvers, that rotate with the sun providing shade and minimizing heat gain, were used on the south and west elevations.


Photo: Klaus Frahm

The tower property includes three subterranean levels designated for parking and technical spaces. Framing the plaza, two additional structures complete the ensemble, each approximately 5,000 square meters, both comprised of six floors, a roof terrace, underground parking and ground floor retail space.


Model photo: Jack Pottle/ESTO

The new corporate headquarters for NKG is part of the ambitious new Masterplan to redevelop the post-industrial port into a viable business, commercial and cultural center and as such the largest urban development project in Europe.


Drawing courtesy Richard Meier & Partners, LLP
Site Plan


Drawing courtesy Richard Meier & Partners, LLP
Typical Floor Plan


Drawing courtesy Richard Meier & Partners, LLP
West Elevation