Dancing Towers, Hamburg

The ‘Dancing Towers’ of St Pauli

Change is coming to Hamburg’s St Pauli district. The ‘Dancing Towers’, a pair of high-rises designed by prestigious architectural practice Bothe Richter Teherani, have formed the gateway to the Reeperbahn since 2012. Even seasoned tourists are sure to be amazed by this building complex, as each tower bends away from the other by up to 7.5 percent – and up to 3 m from the vertical – after the sixth and seventeenth storey, respectively.

Project data

Use: Offices, hotel, penthouse restaurant/bar, dancefloor

Developer: Strabag Real Estate GmbH

Architects: BRT Bothe Richter Teherani

Opened: August 2012

Height: 85 and 75 m

Number of storeys: up to 24

Capital investment: EUR 180 million

Gross floor space: 33,357 sqm

SCHELL products: COMPACT LC urinal control, COMPACT II LC installation modules

Alongside their architectural achievements, the ‘Dancing Towers’ also meet contemporary usage requirements with aplomb: while the three basement floors provide 1,600 m² of space to host the legendary ‘Mojo Club’, the upper stories are home to ultramodern office suites. The connecting structure between the two towers houses the 4-star Arcotel Onyx hotel. One of the main highlights is ‘Clouds – Heaven’s Bar & Kitchen’, Hamburg’s second-highest restaurant on the 23rd floor. Just one floor higher – and around 105 m above the River Elbe below – is the open plan, fully glazed ‘Heaven’s Nest’ rooftop terrace, with its sun loungers and champagne bar. The Nest is all about the breath-taking, panoramic view.

In January 2014, the office complex was awarded LEED Gold certification by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). This accolade recognises the building’s innovative and energy-efficient construction, which protects the climate, environment and resources according to the principle of sustainability.

One element in this sustainable approach is provided by the water-saving SCHELL COMPACT LC urinal controls in the sanitary facilities. Thanks to the concealed electronic module behind the tiled wall, the sanitary facilities are easy to clean, and always appear hygienic and well-maintained. The invisible urinal flush system also improves protection against vandalism while simultaneously complementing the subtle room design and overall elegance of the building. Above all, the technology offers modern comfort and hygiene, since users do not need to press a flush button.

COMPACT LC also comes with a urinal odour trap and integrated, corrosion-proof LC sensor that reliably controls flush actuation. The flush mechanism responds to any situation correctly and dependably. Universal water-saving and cleaning programmes keep operations hygienic and cost-effective. In addition, the sensor can also detect when the odour trap is starting to dry out and counters this with a flush to prevent the development of unpleasant odours. The installation features the COMPACT II LC urinal installation modules, which come with a pre-assembled water path. Overall, 108 SCHELL urinal controls and matching SCHELL installation modules were used.