Mercator One Office Building / Hadi Teherani Architects

Architects: Hadi Teherani Architects
Area: 16817 m²
Year: 2020
Photographs: Olaf Rohl, Jochen Stüber, Jörg Hempel
Manufacturers: AGROB BUCHTAL, EGGER, Byok Lighting, Caparol, DURLUM, Hahn Lamellen, Laminam, REC, St. Gobain, Trilux, Wicona Facade systems (Facade), recycled
Lighting Designers: Kardorff Ingenieure Lichtplanung GmbH
Building Physics Engineer: Peutz Consult GmbH
Construction Engineer: panta engineers
Project Management: IQ Real Estate
Products used in this Project: PerfectSense Premium Matt Lacquered Boards by EGGER, Ceramic Tiles – Nova by AGROB BUCHTAL
Project Managing Architect: Bernd Muley
Project Architect: Anna Mass, Maciej Gerszewski, Xinghua Liu
Student Architect: Sabrina Weber
Graphic Designer: Anja Sorger
Facade Consultant: DS-Plan Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH
Fire Safety Engineer: HHP GmbH
Client: Devario Invest GmbH
City: Duisburg
Country: Germany

Mercator One in Duisburg, Germany, is a landmark building with a unique fan-shaped façade that directs commuter and pedestrian flow, serving as a symbolic gateway to the city. The 100-meter-long structure features anthracite-colored cladding and expansive glazed surfaces, offering 9,500 square meters of flexible office and gastronomic space, including a rooftop terrace with city views. Sustainable elements include a façade made from 90% recycled aluminum, triple-insulated glass, and energy-efficient systems. The ground floor provides retail and dining spaces connected to Portsmouthplatz plaza. The design reflects the Ruhr region’s “rough and tough” aesthetic, using materials like concrete, steel, and wood.

Mercator one office building / hadi teherani architects

A ‘trailblazing’ building and a symbolic gateway to the city are emerging with the construction of Mercator One in Duisburg, Germany. The unique fan-shaped façade, which pivots at the short ends, directs the flow of travelers and commuters from the adjacent central railway station and pedestrian traffic from the city center. Its distinctive silhouette, continually offering new and unexpected sightlines, transforms the approximately 100-meter-long, 17-meter-wide, and 26-meter-high structure into a landmark for the surrounding urban area.

Despite its bold appearance, the anthracite-colored façade cladding gives the building a reserved character. The spacious glazed surfaces add transparency and lightness, while the clear-cut rectangular grid of the façade is maintained by shifting the stairwells into the building’s core.

Mercator One offers 9,500 square meters of space for offices and gastronomic use. The building’s structure allows for flexible floor-plan designs, accommodating various office concepts. User comfort is enhanced by diverse city views emerging from the lateral staggering of the building and the fan-like twist at the short ends. The 6th-floor offices have access to a spacious rooftop terrace.

On the ground floor, 1,200 square meters of high-story height space are reserved for gastronomic and retail use. Restaurants and cafés can provide seating on the newly designed Portsmouthplatz plaza, enlivening the central public-access space linking the railway station to downtown Duisburg. Furthermore, a 2-story underground car park with around 130 parking spaces, building service engineering areas, and storage spaces enhance the structure.

The façade comprises up to 90% recycled aluminum from demolition projects, cars, and food packaging, positioning Mercator One as a pioneering flagship project in Germany. Triple-insulated solar control glass ensures thermal and noise insulation while providing sunscreen. State-of-the-art ceiling systems with integrated lighting deliver heating, air conditioning, fresh air, and improved acoustics, achieving a heat recovery rate of over 80%.

The underground car park includes 50 bicycle stands and 22 charging stations for electric cars, with an option for expansion. The roof area reserved for engineering features extensive greenery, while the 6th-floor rooftop terrace showcases intensive landscaping to counter the urban heat island effect. The outer façade lighting, consisting of white lines of light, accentuates the building’s fanned short ends and changes color to match city events.

The design of publicly accessible interiors, including entrance lobbies, lift hallways, and stairwells, aligns with the ‘rough and tough’ credo of the Ruhr region, combining elegance with straightforward materials such as concrete, steel, glass, stone, wood, and paint.