Hamburg
Hamburg, Germany's second-largest city and largest port, is located at the entrance of the Elbe, Alster, and Bille rivers and is one of Europe's most important transshipment ports. With the advancement of shipping technology over time, Hamburg's port city, HafenCity, faced challenges such as insufficient water depth and long distances for ships to reach the port. As a result, HafenCity gradually declined and ceased to serve as a hub for cargo and storage, leading to economic decline. In the year 2000, the Hamburg city government and urban development agency announced the implementation of the HafenCity Masterplan, aiming to create a new metropolitan area in the waterfront new city from the perspectives of urban development and design. The HafenCity Masterplan responds to the texture of the waterfront and combines the characteristics of the old harbor and industrial areas, transforming them into a hub for cultural and creative industries, with the aspiration to create a livable harbor city with excellent living functions.
Hamburg's Port City New City Project
The port city new city is a large-scale urban expansion project and a new district of Hamburg, which is also currently one of Europe's most significant urban development projects, showcasing Hamburg's strong economic construction capabilities and extensive international connections. It reflects Hamburg's high standards for modern urban construction, taking into account the interests of citizens and businesses. The port city new city will become a top international waterfront urban area in Hamburg, demonstrating its characteristics, concepts, land use zoning plans, and development methods.
Using International Competitions to Drive Urban Renewal
Firstly, the Hamburg city government invited many planning companies to bid through international competitions and selected the winning company. Subsequently, they set the project goals to achieve an effective balance between the port and the city, established a port development company to control quality and consider common interests, created a public service core built through new subway development, planned open space systematically, established high-quality urban design guidelines, and incorporated urban design principles for water management and the reuse of old buildings, and the cruise terminal center. This comprehensive urban planning and design have made Hamburg an excellent international seaport.
Through the cooperation of multiple departments, including the government, winning entities, and the port authority, urban planning reviews were conducted to establish four major goals for the HafenCity Master Plan:
Development of public spaces and green areas
Creating a sustainable city that prevents flooding
Revitalizing the old areas while preserving historical buildings
Achieving regional development balance through mixed-use residential and commercial development
Establishment of Development Companies Focusing on New City Project Development Mechanisms, Enhancing Port-City Development, and Creating Waterfront Spaces
To increase development efficiency and ensure quality, the city of Hamburg established the "Port City Development Limited" to oversee development organization work and building permit procedures, serving as a single window to integrate all development plans. At the same time, the Hamburg Parliament established a city development committee involving various parliamentary parties to review all construction plans, ensuring both quick decision-making and setting new international standards for development projects.
Reuse of Old Buildings - Elbphilharmonie
The massive warehouse known as Kaispeicher, located between the Elbe River and the shipping canal, was previously used for storing cocoa, tea, and tobacco. However, as the port declined, the Kaispeicher warehouse gradually fell into disuse and abandonment. Today, in collaboration between the Hamburg city government and the Swedish architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron, the Kaispeicher warehouse has been transformed into the new cultural center, Elbphilharmonie. The building's foundation for the Elbphilharmonie concert hall incorporates the original seven-story high-rise red.
Image Source: kknews.cc
Expanding Hamburg's Land Area by 40% to Create a Mixed-Use Economic Environment
Due to its strategic location between the River Elbe and the city center, Hamburg's new city offers a vibrant and diverse economic environment. The development plan includes the creation of new land area, which accounts for 40% of the city center, providing 40,000 job opportunities. The facilities within the plan encompass a university, a symphony hall, sports facilities, tourist services, office buildings, residential areas, and shops, promoting a diverse and mixed-use of land.
Setting High Standards for Urban Construction and Establishing an International Waterfront Model
Hamburg's Port City redevelopment project has set new standards for urban development across Europe. The scale of the project has garnered attention, and with its central location, the Hamburg city government has placed high demands on architectural design and the development of an international waterfront district, creating a fresh and dynamic city center.
The project emphasizes high-quality requirements for urban design, residential cores, revitalization of old buildings, and the provision of public open spaces. It considers the coexistence of the city and water as well as flood prevention as central objectives.
Architecture: The combination of Gothic-style brick warehouses and new buildings brings a modern touch to the port area.
Residential: The overall design focuses on mixed land use, creating vibrant and innovative residential spaces.
City and Water: Climate change and rising sea levels are crucial considerations in the plan. By integrating urban landscapes with water, incorporating ecological and recreational purposes, the port city redevelopment project breathes new life into the area.
Image Source: kknews.cc
Creating a Unique Port-City Image Through Urban Design Control
The development should establish a harmonious connection between the city and its historic port elements, considering the urban texture and street layout.
Combining public and private interests to maximize their value and promote a win-win strategy for industry upgrading and spatial integration.
Implementing efficient and effective review processes and supervision systems that ensure 100% freedom in development while maintaining high standards of architectural quality. Selection of developers can be done through competitions and other means.
Image Source: www.architects.org
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