Unusual building planned for 2,500 jobs in Munich: "Next stage of evolution"

Created: 01/15/2022 09:04

Steps into the blue: This is what the new Hypo administration center in Munich Haidhausen could look like.

© HVB/Architectural Office Henn

A huge staircase made of glass that climbs up into the Munich sky in three steps: such a building could soon be in the middle of Haidhausen.

It's still a draft.

Munich - The Hypo-Vereinsbank (HVB) wants to build a new administration center.

A spectacular structure is to be built on the border between Haidhausen and Berg am Laim – with a direct connection to the Leuchtenbergring S-Bahn station. 

The Munich administrative staff at Hypo-Vereinsbank (HVB) work at different locations spread across the city.

However, this could change in the future: A new administration center next to the Leuchtenbergring S-Bahn station with space for 2,500 employees is to bundle everything in one location.

However, the project is still in the planning stage: "When the construction work begins depends on how the city deals with our application and whether building permission is granted," explains Ina Bangemann from HVB.

Hypo-Vereinsbank is planning an eye-catching complex with space for 2,500 jobs

In addition, HVB still has to coordinate with Deutsche Bahn before the start of construction work: "Deutsche Bahn would be our direct neighbor at the Leuchtenbergring and is therefore a key player," says Bangemann. The railway needs a significant part of the property on which the new HVB administration center is to be built for the second main route. “However, our position is that parallel construction is possible. The property is very large and we would only occupy a small piece of it.”

The new location on the Leuchtenbergring has a number of advantages for HVB: “We will be bringing all of our administrative staff together in one building.

We will of course keep the HVB Tower on Richard-Strauß-Strasse, but we could use it to replace the other administrative offices.

Also, we would own the property and have the ability to customize the building to our liking.

At our current locations, we are only tenants and do not have this freedom,” says Bangemann.

Hypo-Vereinsbank: In the interior of the new headquarters, the planners rely on flexibility and want to take the changes in the working world into account.

© HVB

The architectural planning is still in its infancy.

HVB already has a few drafts, but Bangemann explains that it is not yet certain what the building will look like.

When designing the interior, they want to take the experiences from the corona pandemic into account: “We would like the employees to be able to work flexibly at our new location.

During the pandemic, many were working from home and we assume that this will remain the case.

The premises should reflect these changes in working methods.”

Hypo-Vereinsbank does away with one- or two-person offices

Furthermore, Hypo-Vereinsbank would like to focus on cooperation when designing the new location.

During the renovation of the HVB Tower, which was completed in 2015, the one- or two-person offices there were already abolished and replaced by more open office landscapes with the aim of creating a more productive working environment.

"The administration center at the Leuchtenbergring should be the next evolutionary stage of this development and offer the employees a pleasant environment and the possibility of collegial cooperation," says Bangemann.