Originally constructed in 1981 by Walther and Bea Betz as the Hypo-Bank HQ, HENN undertook the complete overhaul of this modernist icon in 2016. The goal was to preserve the building’s exterior identity while transforming it into a modern, energy-efficient envelope. The renovated building achieved LEED Platinum certification.
Project Name: HVB
Studio Name: HENN Architekten
Client: HVZ GmbH & Co. Objekt KG
Location: Munich, DE
Area GFA: 140, 000 m²
Status: Completed
Years: 2016
Consultants: Climaplan – Ingenieure für Versorgungstechnik (MEP), bwp Burggraf + Reiminger Beratende Ingenieure (Structural Engineering), Müller-BBM (Building Physics), a+p Architekten (Fire Protection), Ingenieurbüro Knab (Electrical Engineering), R+R Fuchs (Facade Planning), Schmidt-König (Lighting Design), Alexander Over Landschaftsarchitekt (Landscape Architecture), Ingenieurbüro für Vermessungstechnik G+T Ziegler (Mapping)
Partner in Charge: Stefan Sinning
Project Director: Joachim Grund
Project Team: Alexander Schäfer, Tanja Zielinski, Michael Haumayr, Babak Djassemi, Carolin Patt, Janina Kittelberger, Aleksandra Fraczek, Katrin Jacobs, Shiyu Ying, Angelika König-Xavier, Bodo Boettcher, Peter Hargarten, Rainer Mohl, Yvonne Koll, Martin Erdinger, Susanne Paulisch, Attila Horvath, Peter Weber, Wolfgang Mühlhölzl-Hirschmann, Kathrin Stamm, Armin Nemati, Wolfgang Wrba, Thomas Polster, Birant Sencan, Andreas Schöler, Teresa Garcia, Matthias Palloch, Fredrik Werner, Patrick Bröll, Gert Trinks
A key feature of the building’s sustainability performance was the facade. The building’s original facade was removed, cleaned, perforated, and reinstalled as part of a new double-shell system.
The perforation of the outer layer, which is imperceptible from the street, and the operable inner layer allows for natural ventilation. Each interior panel combines a double-glazed glass system with an acoustic panel, and is tilted open by an electric motor system. Natural ventilation is still uncommon in tall buildings but it can lead to a reduction in cooling costs and create a healthier atmosphere for the building’s occupants.
While the goal of the exterior renovation was to preserve the building’s original character, the interior received a dramatic update. The old office configuration was transformed into an open, collaborative work space. The new, triangular atrium – a dynamic space of unfolding polygonal surfaces – creates changing sightlines between floors and programs, acting as the tower’s crystalline heart. Originally conceived as an optimistic emblem of a future-yet-to come, its interior lets us know it’s arrived.
