Drawing on the rich maritime heritage of Duisburg’s inner harbour, Five Boats sits between the new marina and Holzhafen – part of a master plan that has revitalized this formerly disused site into a lively place to work, dwell and socialize.

Following the curve of Schifferstrasse, the ‘boats’ – nicknamed for their distinctive shape – are evenly spaced across the site in a comb-like form that connects via a principal spine to the rear. At ground level, publicly accessible courtyards that link to the Innerhafen promenade divide the boats, forming green spaces sheltered on three sides by restaurants and retailers.

Large, V-framed pilotis at the ‘prow’ of each building wrap around this level and support the six floors of office spaces above. Facing south and fully glazed, all offices benefit from views across the harbour to the historic city centre.

A typical commercial floor includes flexible layout configuration with open plan or cellular offices, or a combination of the two. To maximise the harbour outlook and mitigate noise pollution, circulation cores and services are located at the Schifferstrasse entrance. Reception areas provide access to offices beyond, as well as to the colourful, highly glazed monitors that form a striking, continuous strip between each boat.