Strichpunkt X Hamburger Hochbahn:
New Brand Identity
A brand like Hamburger Hochbahn AG (HOCHBAHN) is more than just a service provider; it is an integral part of public life. Since March 2025, Strichpunkt has been working with HOCHBAHN as its lead agency. Together, we haven’t reinvented its brand identity, but rather adapted it for the future. The goal: a modular, highly flexible design system that preserves the familiar identity while creating new visual possibilities.
System Over Clutter: Design with Continuity
The challenge was to use the brand’s history—above all the distinctive HOCHBAHN red and the iconic word-and-logo mark—as a foundation and translate it into a scalable system. The result is a layout principle consistently based on a divisible grid. It enables a coherent design across all communication formats, from classic posters to complex digital applications.
A Perfect Design Landing: The HOCHBAHN Stipples.
At the heart of the new visual identity is the illustrative visual language. Inspired by the circular shape of the logo, the so-called “HOCHBAHN Stipples” were created. These graphic modules can be combined in a modular way—from delicate icons to generatively created, complex visual worlds. The visual analogy was chosen deliberately: just like HOCHBAHN itself, these elements come together to form a large, cohesive whole. A first application can already be found in the current campaign for reporting litter in the subway network.
Motivations Visualized: Design in Motion
To maintain brand consistency across dynamic touchpoints, we defined specific motion principles that abstract the movement sequences of public transit—such as doors opening or trains entering and exiting stations—into design elements. The color palette has also been carefully transformed: A complementary aubergine shade breaks up the stark red-and-white contrast and gives the brand a more vibrant, contemporary tone. Typographically, the connection to the proven Helvetica Neue remains, but is supplemented by an Extended Medium weight at the top of the hierarchy to emphasize distinctiveness and performance.
Right on Track: Feedback on the Project
“HOCHBAHN shapes the daily lives of many people in Hamburg. That’s why it’s so important to have a brand identity that is clear, approachable, and relatable. Our lead agency, Strichpunkt, has refined our corporate design with precision without altering its essence. Our new identity underscores how we want to be perceived: modern, reliable, and distinctive.” (Christina Becker, Head of Marketing at Hamburger Hochbahn AG)
“By refining the corporate design, we have strengthened HOCHBAHN’s visual identity while creating a system that can be flexibly applied across all touchpoints. As the first major project for our Hamburg team, this work is special to us—not least because the brand identity will have a lasting impact on Hamburg’s cityscape.” (Peter Matz, Studio Lead Berlin and Stuttgart and member of the Strichpunkt Executive Board)
HOCHBAHN’s new brand identity is now being rolled out gradually. It forms the new visual foundation for all future initiatives in service, information, and brand management.
