Fielmann Group opens new Head Office in Hamburg

• On September 1, 2025, the 1,200 employees will move into the new Head Office on Fuhlsbuettler Strasse in Hamburg.
• The new Head Office of the world's third-largest provider of vision care and audiology promotes collaboration and exchange. 
• With this location, the international family business is making a clear commitment to the Hanseatic city.

After almost 40 years on Weidestrasse, the Fielmann Group is opening its new Head Office at Fuhlsbuettler Strasse 399 in Hamburg's Barmbek-Nord district on September 1. The stock-listed German family business, active in vision care and audiology, signed the lease agreement for the office and commercial building in “Quartier 21” in November 2023. The move reflects the Fielmann Group's modern corporate culture and promotes cross-functional collaboration.

The office space of 15,000 m² is divided between two building sections with four and six floors. Over a 22-month planning and renovation period, a completely new working environment was created for 1,200 employees, based on the desk-sharing principle. The exterior façade of the existing building was also refurbished. In total, the Fielmann Group has invested tens of millions in its new Head Office.

New Working Environment aligned with Modern Corporate Culture
As part of its Vision 2025, the Fielmann Group has transformed in recent years from Germany’s leading bricks-and-mortar optician into the world's foremost vision care provider. “A key prerequisite for this success has been the cultural shift we have undergone in recent years: from a hierarchical structure to a modern family business. The new Head Office, with its diverse spaces for collaboration, offers the ideal setting for our contemporary corporate culture,” says Katja Gross, Chief Human Resources and IT Officer.

Highest Standards in Sustainability
When selecting the location, key criteria included architectural quality, proximity to employees’ residences, technical building infrastructure, sustainability, access to public transport, local amenities, and the ability to design the property according to our own preferences.

Sustainability and ecological considerations also played an important role in the renovation of the existing building. Marc Fielmann, CEO: “We are convinced that our family business can only be successful in the long term in an intact and socially balanced environment. That is why we take responsibility – for our customers, our employees, society, and the environment.” 

The building has been awarded the DGNB Gold certification by the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB e.V. stands for “Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen e.V.”). The certification process evaluates factors such as building materials, energy-efficient building technologies, air conditioning systems, and energy consumption. To meet these standards, the façade was renovated and upgraded for energy efficiency. The roof was greened to promote biodiversity. In line with the shift to hybrid working, the Fielmann Group was able to reduce its office space from 33,000 m² to 15,000 m² through efficient space utilization. Modern digital tools and processes replace traditional paper files, enabling fast, location-independent access to information and supporting a paperless organization. To promote climate-friendly commuting, the property offers 80 bicycle parking spaces, 18 electric vehicle charging stations, and excellent public transport connections.

New Working Environment Strengthens Collaboration and Exchange
Our new working environment is based on the principle of activity-based working. Depending on their current tasks and needs, employees choose the setting that best supports their work: a desk in the home zone, the “Office for a Day” for focused tasks, the Think Tank for creative work, the telephone booths for undisturbed calls, a Project Room for workshops, or the Coworking Space for inspiring collaboration. Joint Spaces offer areas for informal encounters and shared breaks. The open-plan concept ensures efficient use of office space while promoting flexibility and teamwork. 

The center of the Head Office is the “Social Heart” – a spacious area designed for shared activities, meetings, meals, and conversations. If employees need a moment of quiet, they can retreat to the “Room of Silence.” The Parent-Child Office provides support when daycare is unavailable or children need to be cared for on-site.

In total, the new Head Office includes seven representative conference rooms, 44 meeting rooms, 33 Think Tanks, and 16 project rooms. Modern media technology supports the hybrid working model, enabling employees to balance remote work and office presence effectively. For the new location, the employer and Works Council have agreed on an average monthly attendance rate of 40% of contractually agreed working hours.

Design Concept Inspired by Surroundings, Nature, and Product Identity
The design of the new Head Office reflects its environment and the essence of the Fielmann brand. Wall colors echo the surroundings: terracotta tones reference nearby brick buildings, green mirrors the trees, and blue evokes the sky. Curved architectural elements throughout the light-filled space are inspired by the shape of an iris or a lens blank – a subtle nod to the core of Fielmann’s product expertise. The Fielmann Group’s identity is woven into the Head Office’s design: from the stairwell showcasing the history of eyewear, to oversized glasses on the bridge connecting the two building sections, and wall installations featuring employees' eyes – reminiscent of the “Deine Brille: Fielmann” campaign. The Conference Rooms are named after iconic eyewear styles such as Panto and Cateye. The current collection is on display in the new Head Office and can be tried on virtually, blending physical and digital experiences. In addition, guests can explore the “Fielmann Experience” exhibition, which offers interactive insights into the senses of hearing and sight. In the 180 m² showroom, visitors can immerse themselves in Fielmann Group’s history, learn about sensory impairments, and even have their iris photographed free of charge and downloaded via QR code.