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Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland

Hamburg, DE
2007–2009
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The building is enveloped in an ETFE membrane that protects the primary building envelope. The angular facade sits on the banks of the Northelbe River in Hamburg, with people on the steps and promenade beneath a blue sky dotted with clouds.
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The building is enveloped in an ETFE membrane that protects the primary building envelope. The angular facade sits on the banks of the Northelbe River in Hamburg, with people on the steps and promenade beneath a blue sky dotted with clouds.

The Unilever headquarters features a central atrium that bridges the public realm of the city with the private one of the offices. Wrapped in an ETFE membrane that shields the primary enclosure, the building embodies a holistic approach to sustainability while forging a strong connection to its surroundings.

Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Concept sketch showing a site plan with arrows linking city center with the Unilever building, labeled public space, Marco Polo terraces, modelled landscape, and Elbe.

The Unilever headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland occupies a prominent site along the Elbe in Hamburg’s HafenCity. Located at the end of the route from the city center to new waterfront landmarks—such as the cruise ship terminal and Strandkai promenade—the building both defines and opens itself to the urban fabric, inviting public engagement.

Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Large multi-story atrium with glass roof, green-accented balconies, staircases, and people walking across open interior walkways.

By elevating the upper floors, the design transforms the ground level into a seamless extension of the public realm, returning much of the site—externally and via a central atrium—to the city. The atrium serves as a hub between public and private spaces, fostering meetings and collaboration. Bridges, ramps, and stairs linking the office levels animate the interior, giving it a vibrant, urban character. Expansive views of the harbor, ships, sky, and HafenCity reinforce a strong connection to the site, while the architecture encourages spontaneous interaction and collective work.

Level 1

The project reflects a holistic approach to sustainable architecture, favoring passive systems over technical complexity: thermally activated concrete ceilings provide cooling, and primary energy use was designed to remain below 100 kWh/m² per year.

Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. People seated at a counter on an upper walkway in a bright atrium with green walls, glass offices, railings, and open views to lower floors.
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. People sitting at a table and others on an upper walkway in the bright atrium with stairs, glass roof, and green-accented interior spaces.
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Two people seated at a table in a glass meeting booth with green benches and a bright pink backlit wall of shelves behind them.
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Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. People seated at a counter on an upper walkway in a bright atrium with green walls, glass offices, railings, and open views to lower floors.
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. People sitting at a table and others on an upper walkway in the bright atrium with stairs, glass roof, and green-accented interior spaces.
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Two people seated at a table in a glass meeting booth with green benches and a bright pink backlit wall of shelves behind them.
Client
HOCHTIEF Projektentwicklung
Architects
Behnisch Architekturbüro
Address

Strandkai 1
20457 Hamburg
Germany

Competition

2006, 1st prize

Gross Area

38.000 qm / 409,000 sq.ft.

Gross Volume

165.000 cbm / 5,826,150 cu.ft

Photography

Adam Mørk

Certification

Umweltzertifikat der HafenCity Hamburg in Gold

Awards

2009 BEX Award
2009 Barcelona World Architecture Festival Award 2009
2010 BDA Hamburg Architektur Preis
2010 Nominated for Best Office Award
2010 Green Good Design Award
2010 Prime Property Award, 3rd prize
2010 RIBA International Award
2011 Schüco Green Building Award
2011 Nominated for Mies van der Rohe Award

A custom SMD-LED lighting system supplements natural daylight and cuts energy consumption by over 70% compared to conventional lighting at the time. The project was awarded the HafenCity EcoLabel in Gold, recognizing its innovative and environmentally responsible approach.

Section AA

Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Close-up of the facade structure.
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Close-up of the ETFE membrane facade of the waterfront building, with a promenade, stairs and some strollers under a blue sky.
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. People sitting on stepped terraces beside the waterfront, next to the modern building, with a promenade and river under a clear blue sky.
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Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Close-up of the facade structure.
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Close-up of the ETFE membrane facade of the waterfront building, with a promenade, stairs and some strollers under a blue sky.
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. People sitting on stepped terraces beside the waterfront, next to the modern building, with a promenade and river under a clear blue sky.

The building’s distinctive ETFE façade, wrapped like a translucent second skin, appears light and dynamic, responding to shifting daylight. As one of the first large-scale uses of ETFE film in a double façade, it combines innovation with performance. The outer membrane protects operable windows and adjustable sunshades from wind, noise, and air pollution—especially from the adjacent cruise terminal. A ventilated cavity allows fresh air to circulate, while a minimal structure of cables, rods, and wind suction cables maintains transparency and reduces stress on the membrane.

Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Unilever Headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Illuminated glass building by the river at dusk, with stepped terraces, waterfront promenade, and pastel sunset sky.

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