HAFENCITY HAMBURG Hamburg's HafenCity combines maritime flair with an ambitious mixed use inner city development project. IBA Hamburg is transferring an inner city periphery socially, economically and with a view to climate protection HafenCity and IBA: Hamburg’s urban future

Two major urban development projects outline a picture of the city of tomorrow and seek solutions for sustainable urbanity in Hamburg: HafenCity and the International Building EDITORIAL Exhibition (IBA Hamburg). While transforming the inner city and Hamburg’s waterfront, they also initiate an international discourse over urban strategies for the future, presenting the travelling exhibition “Building the City Anew”

visit to Hamburg is a must these days for anybody (including the Elbphilharmonie concert hall), as well as interested in urban development: it is home to two high-quality open spaces by the water. Aof the most significant projects in Europe, with „HafenCity and the International Building Exhibition HafenCity, on former port land adjacent to the city, and are of vital importance. With regard to both local circum- the International Building Exhibition (IBA Hamburg) in stances and expectations as well as the challenges of a south Wilhelmsburg. For both of them, 2013 is a special metropolis in the 21st century, they represent a signifi- year. The IBA faces its grand finale with the presenta- cant contribution to the urban development of Ham- tion of its projects, its housing models, its large and burg”, states the city’s first mayor, Olaf Scholz. Ranking small interventions in an area populated by 55,000 fifth among the world’s largest trading cities, Hamburg’s people, as well as a large number of events. HafenCity, current population is 1.8 million. This number is expected In 2013, a series of dynamic yet circumspect development steps will an extensive new development ultimately bringing to rise to 1.9 million in the next few years. “HafenCity and underline HafenCity’s qualities even more strongly. The new U4 subway with it 6,000 homes and 45,000 jobs, is poised to the International Building Exhibition show how inner- has opened, for the time being as a connection between the Hamburg launch its final development phase to the east. New city growth can be sustainably managed, with neigh- city centre and western and central HafenCity. Construction for its ex- bridges and roads are under construction, paving the bouring districts also profiting thereby. The process has tension to the eastern neighbourhoods will get under way this year. The way for another 2,800 homes and 18,000 jobs in east- received a great deal of attention and recognition both U4 is an essential feature of the urban infrastructure for companies, resi- ern HafenCity – but also for growing connections to in Germany and abroad”, says Scholz. dents and visitors to HafenCity which is now home to more than 450 Hamburg’s south. local, national and large international businesses employing around Hamburg is changing in both local and global senses Bringing new life to the city 9,000 people. The number of residents is around 2000, rising steadily. since the reinvention of the urban districts to the north To the east, development of HafenCity is pushing ahead. In Baakenhafen and south of the River Elbe, with their multifaceted in- For its part, IBA Hamburg is the generator of urban neighbourhood, options have already been assigned on the first sites, novative elements, is attracting international acclaim. development to the south of the Elbe. Selective rede- foreseen for hotel and residential uses. HafenCity University and the The start of this development can be traced back to velopment measures, new-builds and cultural activi- Kühne Logistics University will open their doors in the autumn in their Germany’s national departure of 1989. With the ending ties are bringing new life to an area in the so-called new locations to more than 2,000 students. The south and north sec- of Germany’s partition, the City of Hamburg reverted to “inner periphery” of the city. Overall the project area tions of the green centre of HafenCity, the four-hectare Lohsepark, will its earlier state as the central European port and trade extends across a total 35 sq km of existing urban spac- start to show visible contours in 2013/14. location. In the succeeding decades, Hamburg defined es on the Hamburg islands of Veddel and Wilhelms- In western HafenCity, the continuing upmarket, long-sighted devel- itself as a growing major city and, through HafenCity, burg, and Harburg’s inland port. IBA Hamburg is bring- opment of Überseequartier is making strides. An exciting blend of grasped the rare chance of growth in the center of the ing together these previously neglected but central uses – hotel, culture, shopping and residential – is taking shape on the city. Despite its central waterfront location concentrat- neighbourhoods and trying to establish a balance be- last available building site in the northern section. The concept for the ed on the Elbe, just minutes on foot from the City Hall, tween their multiplicity of uses and interests. southern section is being reworked, without stripping Überseequartier this 157 hectare area was practically “terra incognita” at In terms of external circumstances, there is little in of its open character or its manifold connections to the water. In the that time. No one lived there and it was only frequented common between the IBA area in Wilhelmsburg and summer, the second park in western HafenCity, Grasbrookpark, will be by those employed in the port industries. Instead, HafenCity. But challenges such as the safeguarding of finished. Residential and public uses on Strandkai are being prepared. emerging there now are a total 45,000 jobs, housing resources and the climate, good governance structures, Construction of new office buildings as well as another 450 apartments accommodation for 12,000 people and a great variety neighbourhoods, social mix and the formation of social will also start this year. of recreational, educational and cultural opportunities capital in the city are the focus of many projects on both The new projects reinforce the dynamic climate of HafenCity, as well as sides. In converting and upgrading large areas of inner its high standards for sustainability. Invitations to tender for sites in 2013 city land, both of them embody the most crucial growth are commensurate with this trend. We are delighted at the intensive HafenCity and IBA Hamburg: strategies for major European cities today. Thus it is less involvement of so many developers, investors and tennants. in their goals than in their diverse prevailing circumstan­ Find out more ces and their approach that HafenCity and IBA Hamburg Jürgen Bruns-Berentelg www.hafencity.com | www.iba-hamburg.de differ. For both projects are showing the way to respon- Chief Executive of HafenCity Hamburg GmbH sible urban growth without building on greenfield land.

HAFENCITY NEWS 1 HAFENCITY AND IBA: HAMBURG’S URBAN FUTURE

The Marco Polo Terraces in HafenCity invite for a rest with a view to Elbphilharmonic concert hall The Water Houses at Wilhelmsburg are directly built into a water basin

Further, facilitating multi-faceted urban space with room for starts from Wilhelmsburg and then transfers by harbour Architekturzentrum; to Docks de la Juliette in Marseilles (15 to many different ideas and living concepts is also the focus, in launch to HafenCity. But impressions of the project can also 29 March); to Hanover (8 to 14 April) and finally Hamburg it- both cases. Bringing in grassroots participation through discus- be gathered in 2013 in other cities in Europe, through the self, probably in HafenCity. The international cities dialogue sions, workshops and ideas competitions is an important ele- jointly initiated travelling exhibition “Building the City Anew”, initiated by HafenCity and IBA Hamburg then comes to a pro- ment of both development processes. in which an outsize compass indicates the journey to the visional conclusion at a major urban planning conference en- various topics and challenges for the city of the future. titled “Building the City Anew” on 20/21 June. Ecolocigal sustainability is the key The central questions posed – which are not only facing Hamburg – include: Where and how can our cities sustain In HafenCity, generous public spaces are developing on the responsible growth in the future? Which prudent and far- Visit HafenCity and IBA Hamburg waterfront – a total 26 hectares of squares, promenades and sighted ideas will help the city gear itself to the future? How parks. Cultural and leisure options available are already very can cities grow, yet remain open to different cultures? To Visitors can explore Hamburg’s major urban develop- diverse. The choice of living space ranges from publicly sub- whom does the city belong? How can the public realm and ment projects on a guided tour starting in Wilhelms- sidised and affordable apartments, through projects by participation processes be encouraged and organised? burg and then transferring by harbour launch to building cooperatives and building joint ventures, to the In March 2012, the “Building the City Anew” exhibition was HafenCity. The “Elbsprung” tour takes place from luxury segment. “This all goes to ensure that the most di- shown for the first time to the European Parliament in Brus- April through October on Saturdays and Sundays verse groups encounter each other in HafenCity and that an sels. From 24 January to 14 February 2013, it was presented at from 2 to 5 p.m. Tickets are available for 8 8 at: urban style of life emerges. The task here is to generate di- Zurich’s renowned ETH university (Eidgenössische Technische www.iba-hamburg.de/touren versity,” explains Jürgen Bruns-Berentelg, chief executive of Hochschule); thereafter (4 to 10 March) it travels to Vienna’s HafenCity Hamburg GmbH. At the same time, in the IBA zone, more than 100 nationalities interact with each other. Such a situation can certainly lead to friction, but also makes INTERVIEW Wilhelmsburg and Veddel the unique places of diversity and internationality that they are. The IBA aims to maximise this potential by focusing on creativity, education and communi- “HafenCity and the Elbe islands will grow closer together” cation. The central themes here are urban cohesion and eco- nomic development. When he was managing director of Cities in general play a prominent role in protection of the state-owned Wasserstadt Gmbh in climate and natural resources for they form the living space Berlin, architect and town planner for increasing numbers of people. Against this background, Uli Hellweg was responsible for the ecological sustainability has the key role in both of these conversion of 253 hectares of former projects. Both HafenCity and IBA Hamburg have set their industrial and port sites on the Spree sights on buildings that are exemplary in energy terms and and Havel rivers. In Berlin, Hellweg particularly durable. With its fine-grained mix of uses, also experienced the traditional HafenCity is a “city of short distances”, in which walking, format of the International Building cycling or public transport work well. IBA Hamburg shows Exhibition for the first time. He has how the city can function as a power house and gradually been managing the IBA in Hamburg move towards self-sufficiency through renewable energies. Wilhelmsburg since 2006. Visitors to Hamburg can effortlessly discover the similari- ties and differences between HafenCity and IBA Hamburg for themselves – on their own or by taking a guided tour such as the joint “Elbsprung” (leap over the Elbe) tour, which HafenCity News: The IBA Hamburg is “renewable Wilhelmsburg” climate stigma and become a mixed, lively endowing the Elbe islands between protection concept. In 2013/2104, Wil- urban district in which people of all HafenCity and Harburg with ever in- helmsburg is one of Hamburg’s most races and ages enjoy living. creasing amounts of new structure climate-friendly districts. More than HafenCity News: HafenCity News: – through new building and redevel- 50 per cent of power for households, How will Wilhelmsburg and Hafen­ opment measures, as well as through services and retail trade is generated City be in 30 years’ time? cultural activities. What do you see from renewable sources on the Elbe Uli Hellweg: I believe that they will as the biggest challenge? islands itself. have come closer together. Hafen­ Uli Hellweg: I think that the biggest HafenCity News: HafenCity News: City will no longer be regarded just task is to keep the process going what does the development mean as a glittering working and residen- when our job comes to an end – be- for Wilhelmsburg, which was seen as tial district, but as a mature part of cause of course all international disadvantaged up to now? the inner city which is good to live in. building exhibitions have a time limit; Uli Hellweg: A lot has changed in And Wilhelmsburg will be an attrac- the IBA Hamburg runs until 2013. Wilhelmsburg in just six years. That tive residential neighbourhood close There is certainly a need for an organ- has also given rise to anxieties, for to the inner city into which many key isation to do that, which will continue example about prohibitive rents or services – not only the Ministry of to look after the district as a whole in crowding out. Now it is important to Urban Development and the Envi- the future, and which will see projects show the people that Wilhelmsburg ronment – have relocated. In any through. This not only applies to con- will remain a district for everyone in case, I hope that with respect to en- tinued construction in the newly de- the future too and that the process ergy, both of them will be amongst veloped building areas, but especially set in motion by the IBA will only be to the most innovative urban dis- also to social and energy concepts continued together with the popula- tricts world wide. The travelling exhibition „Building the City Anew“ at Zurich’s renowed such as the education offensive or the tion. Wilhelmsburg will thus lose its ETH university

HAFENCITY NEWS 1

Publisher:HafenCity Hamburg GmbH, www.hafenCity.com; Susannei. S. d. P.: Bühler; V. Editor: Henrike Thomsen, Contributor: Janina Jeske Design: lab3 mediendesign, Hamburg ; photos: Christian Breitler (1), Bina Engel (1), Thomas Hampel / ELBE&FLUT (2), IBA Hamburg GmbH / Johannes Arlt (1), IBA Hamburg GmbH / bloomimages (1), IBA Hamburg GmbH / Schenk + Waiblinger Architekten, Hamburg (1)