Unique and innovative: how the first tenants view the Elbtower
The beaming attraction of the new building
It’s modern, smart and it provides the best possible links to HafenCity’s mobility system. The Elbtower will enrich its neighbourhood and wider Hamburg with its new and flexible office and workplace models, an innovative hotel and various café and restaurant concepts. A wide range of cultural and leisure activities are also there to be enjoyed.
The Elbtower at Elbbrücken is the place to be and that gives it great appeal for German companies and those from abroad. An anchor tenant was quickly found nearby. The Hamburg Commercial Bank (HCOB) only has to do a short-distance move into the new Elbtower immediately after completion in 2025. The financial experts have secured 11,000 square metres with an option for a further 2,000 square metres and a lease that runs for 10 years with an option for extension.
»Sustainability is a key issue for the Hamburg Commercial Bank.«
HCOB: “A very special appeal”
HCOB’s current headquarters at Hamburg’s Gerhart-Hauptmann-Platz, built in 1972, is past its sell-by date. “The building is neither climate-efficient nor economical, so remaining at this location was not an option for us,” explains Stefan Ermisch, the bank’s CEO. “Added to this is the fact that today, as a focused specialist financier and following successful transformation, we employ far fewer people than we did a few years ago and correspondingly we have fewer space requirements. We also no longer need vaults and cash halls as a commercial bank.”
An important step towards more climate protection
The sustainability aspect also played a role in the decision to move to the Elbtower. According to Ermisch “sustainability is a key issue for the Hamburg Commercial Bank. We are committed to maintaining high environmental standards and using resources sparingly. That’s why the move to the Elbtower, which meets the highest energy standards, is an important step for us toward greater climate and environmental protection.”
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The Elbtower embodies Innovation
The HCOB boss has high hopes for the new headquarters. “The Elbtower embodies innovation and state-of-the-art standards and is therefore an excellent fit for the Hamburg Commercial Bank. At the entrance to HafenCity, Hamburg’s newest and most modern district, adaptable spaces are on offer that will be equipped with the latest technology. This accommodates our cloud-based IT architecture and an increasingly digital working world. In addition, flexible workplace solutions with shared areas for collaborative work and communicative exchange have become even more important, especially in view of the increase in working from home,” says Ermisch.
An attractive building
Stefan Ermisch is convinced that the bank’s customers will also welcome the move to HafenCity, given the advantages the building has to offer: “With its 245 metres, the Elbtower will be a landmark building with special appeal. Whether it’s employees, customers or business partners – for all of them, the building can be reached in less than five minutes from the main train station by underground and overground trains. The ‘Elbbrücken’ station is directly opposite the Elbtower. And, if you like, you can enjoy the unique view over the city and the Elbe from the roof terrace, which is open to the public.”
Nobu Hospitality: “A world-class project”
Another major tenant would also prefer to move into the Elbtower today instead of tomorrow. The global lifestyle brand Nobu Hospitality, whose founders include Hollywood star Robert De Niro alongside master chef Nobu Matsuhisa and well-known film producer Meir Teper, will open its first hotel and restaurant in Germany in the tower. Among other attractions, 191 generously designed rooms and suites as well as a terrace bar and lounge with a view of the Elbe are planned over the 16,500 square metres. The gastro area will offer 200 seats where the finest Japanese-Peruvian cuisine will be served.
Trevor Horwell, CEO of Nobu, is looking forward to the project: “Hamburg, one of the strongest economic locations in Germany, is an attractive destination for travellers, whether it’s for leisure or business, and is a perfect fit for our global clientele. The Elbtower itself is a world-class project and our hotel and restaurant will now be at the centre of it.”
IWG: “Unique premises”
The International Workplace Group (IWG) is also convinced by the Elbtower’s potential with its flexibly configurable spaces, diverse uses and perfect travel connections in the heart of Hamburg. In May, the world’s leading provider of flexible workplace solutions had 4,000 square metres reserved on the tower’s upper floors (38-40). “Worldwide, we are always on the lookout for unique spaces,” says Stefanie Lürken, Sales Vice President at IWG.
»The overall package of the Elbtower simply convinced us.«
Aon Deutschland: rethinking office space completely
Aon Deutschland is also thrilled. The company is one of the world’s leading risk consultancies and will move into around 6,300 square metres of office space on floors 7 and 8. “The overall package of the Elbtower simply convinced us,” says Kai Büchter, CEO of Aon DACH. “The Elbtower offers our employees modern office solutions and a prestigious location in the fashionable HafenCity. It meets all the requirements for successful work and recreation. A special highlight of the floors we rent are the Flying Gardens, which are ideal for lunch breaks and creative outdoor workspaces in the green areas above the rooftops of the city.”
