Completed in 2008, the operations control center of Hamburger Hochbahn AG has since overseen and monitored the city’s bus and subway services. Located on the newly added sixth floor of the Hochbahn headquarters, it brought together control rooms that had previously been spread across several sites - consolidating them above the rooftops of Hamburg’s Altstadt.
The control center is defined by a clear, regular architectural language. Its façade is slightly recessed and tilted inward, giving the volume a restrained presence. This modest expression ensures the building sits respectfully alongside the listed Kontorhaus district, whose brick-built office houses remain a defining feature of the city center. Inside, flowing forms and natural colors deliberately contrast with the highly technical content of the workstations.
Architectural quality and ergonomically optimized workplaces create a comfortable environment for around-the-clock operations. Acoustic treatment, carefully calibrated lighting, coordinated lines of sight and communication, and height-adjustable desks all support focused work in the 24-hour control center. Large, glare-free windows provide optimal daylight and frame expansive views over Hamburg’s city center.
Photo Credits: Dorfmüller Kröger Klier, Hamburg
