All Under One Roof
BOSS – Border One Stop Shop
The prizewinning concept of a glass cube on an elongated base convinced the jury of the VgV Procedure for the national “Border One Stop Shop” (BOSS) pilot project. The new building, which should ensure the compact and efficient combination of import and customs control processes, is a self-confident landmark that acts as an impressive gateway to the Hanseatic city.
Functionality and iconic presence
BOSS seeks to bring together all the authorities involved in the import process in one location on the Port of Hamburg. The objective of this approach is to pool expertise, encourage efficient decision-making, and exploit synergy effects in order to simplify all future processes. This is why functionality and efficiency are the determining factors of our design solution. The architectural concept pays equal attention to the varying processes and requirements of the clients and employees, while bringing the various authorities together under one roof.
As integrated designers, we were particularly fascinated by the combination of the control of logistics and processing and the administrative element, two functions which have nothing directly in common. Our solution was to line the motorway with a logistics block, above which an office cube appears to hover.
Albert Achammer
Partner, Managing Director in Hamburg
Glazed boundaries
The different functions are visualized externally by the two building typologies: The elongated base, which follows the linearity of the motorway, is devoted to the seamless control of imports. In contrast, the office building placed on top of this base presents itself as a “directionless” cube. As a compact volume with modular glass elements, this offers employees attractive offices and views in every direction. Its powerful, iconic form enjoys a powerful presence without blocking the view of the gateway to the city. In the interior, a multistory atrium establishes a relationship between the cube and the base. As a top-lit void, this “spatially” separates yet visually connects the two building typologies. And it also fills the complex with daylight, ensures rapid orientation, and is a meeting place for employees.
Pioneering constructional approach
By combining measures to promote ecological, economic, and social sustainability with a long-term constructional solution, the design increases energy efficiency, maximizes the flexibility of the building, and ensures that it can be dismantled and recycled: The cube is principally conceived as a reinforced concrete structure, while the base is built using steel elements. A highly airtight and thermally insulated building envelope and connections that are free of cold bridges reduce energy demand, while the green roof should increase both local biodiversity and thermal and acoustic comfort inside the building.
