Concepts

New Infrastructure – Basis of this Urban Development

Proximity to water, ground conditions and flood risks present particular challenges

A whole new infrastructure has been built for the HafenCity (© ELBE&FLUT)

HafenCity is characterized by infrastructural features specific to the site: the area is a low-lying island in the River Elbe, indented by several harbor basins. Prerequisites for intensive and urban use are therefore internal and external links as well as flood protection. In addition to the east-west orientation of the historic warehouses in the Speicherstadt, acting like a barrier between HafenCity and the city center, the waterways also extend in an east-west direction. These factors meant, for instance, that efficient public transport connections could only work well via subway.

Furthermore, the HafenCity site is situated outside Hamburg’s dike line on low-lying land subject to occasional flooding 4 to 5.5m above sea level. The Elbe shoreline location demands separate and costly protection measures: HafenCity hugs the Elbe for more than 3.1km and has a total waterfront, including harbor basins, of over 10.5km.

In its past, the HafenCity area was characterized by its use as an industrial and port district. The extension of the modern port facilities that began in 1862 gave this area the typical appearance which largely remains today, with harbor basins, quays and several revitalized historical buildings constituting HafenCity’s character.

In many places, Am Sandtorkai/Dalmannkai, for instance, the historic quay structure could be partially conserved. New quay walls were built in sections where the old substance was too damaged or previously did not exist. Since the area’s industrial uses left traces, highly contaminated soil on a number of sites had to be cleaned.

Flood protection has top priority

Flood protection was, and remains, an important precondition for building HafenCity. There was a conscious decision not to surround it with dikes. Works would have had to be completed prior to realization of the first buildings throughout the new district’s 126 hectare land area. A speedy start to HafenCity’s development would therefore not have been possible and, at the same time, dike construction would also have generated significant front-end costs. From a built environment standpoint, dikes would have prevented HafenCity’s unique waterfront characteristics.

Instead, new buildings – and streets – are built on elevated mounds at a new level of 8m above mean sea level, protecting the development from floods. They also offer space inside for flood-secure parking garages. In contrast, promenades and certain squares remain at the area’s previous elevation of about 4.5 to 5.5m above sea level, which attractively preserves their close links to the water and allows creation of useful public spaces of high quality.

An additional challenge is the clay soil. HafenCity’s location on the Elbe marshes is subject to the alluvial influence of the Elbe, which means that the upper layers of soil are made up mostly of clay and glacial sediment. As so-called cohesive layers, they are highly water absorbent, which means they cannot bear heavy weight. Sand, which is load-bearing, begins further down. This is why all buildings in HafenCity are built on piles. These are usually driven around 20m deep into the earth, which transfers the weight to the loadbearing sand layers.

For road building, preloading is used to raise the level to 10m: the weight of heaped up sand presses any water out of the cohesive layers of ground below, creating a stable foundation suitable for road-building. When this process is finished, the sand preload is removed down to around 7.5 to 8m, the future level of the road, so that piping and conduit can be laid and roads built.

New roads and bridges

All new roads have been laid at a flood-safe level of at least 7.5 to 8.3m above sea-level; in addition, new flood-proof bridges are built or older bridges renovated and raised. An exception is the road Am Sandtorkai/western Brooktor-kai that runs between HafenCity and Speicherstadt: because of the proximity of the historic Speicherstadt, raising this street across its entire width was not possible or meaningful.

In the seldom and brief case of a storm surge, therefore, new flood-secure accesses to HafenCity are being created. The first one already runs across the Kibbelstegbrücke bridges. Under normal circumstances they are an attractive route for pedestrians and cyclists; in flood situations these bridges provide access routes for emergency vehicles. The second flood-proof road axis is via Oberbaumbrücke bridge, Brooktorkai, Shanghaiallee and Überseeallee and can be used by public transport in case of flooding. Additional flood-secure connections will be ensured via two other bridges, Grossmarktbrücke and Freihafenelbbrücke, which both link up with Versmannstrasse.

Roads in HafenCity are planned in at an early stage but the realization of road surfacing, pavements, cycling lanes or parking bays only takes place gradually and in close coordination with construction firms. This is why almost all roads initially get temporary surfaces. The final surface is then laid and finished after completion of the surrounding buildings, together with ancillary surfaces, cycling paths/strips and tree plantings.

By car or on foot into the city center

Four road bridges connect HafenCity with the city center. Am Sandtorkai/Brooktorkai, a street running east-west, serves as western HafenCity’s central access road link northwards. From it, traffic fans out along to the south, primarily via Shanghaiallee and Osakaallee. Then it continues across Kornhausbrücke bridge along an extension of the so-called “Domplatz” axis thruway. On a boulevard running from the newly laid out Dar es Salaam square, across Kornhausbrücke and Domplatz, Jungfernstieg can be reached in ten minutes’ walk.

Traffic infrastructure in eastern HafenCity, under development in the next few years, will also be excellent. The main artery, Versmannstrasse, will connect with a series of internal and external links. A new bridge in the east will connect Versmannstrasse via the wholesale market site to Amsinckstrasse, relieving HafenCity of much through traffic.

Baakenhafen bridge ensures rapid onward development
 
From 2013 another new bridge to be built across western Baakenhafen harbor basin will link the northern and southern parts of Baakenhafen neighborhood. This 130m long Baakenhafenbrücke bridge represents an important milestone on the way to the rapid development of eastern HafenCity, where infrastructural connections and housing construction will start in 2011. Medium term this flood-secure access road might be continued across the River Elbe to Kleiner Grasbrook.

In addition, numerous pedestrian and cycling routes will be created; two pedestrian bridges are planned across Baakenhafen harbor basin.  A planned tunnel will connect Oberhafenquartier and Am Lohsepark neighborhood, which are at present separated by railroad tracks. The tunnel, to run under the railway embankment from 2015 at the earliest, opens directly onto the northeast exit of the HafenCity University subway station. Both existing and planned transport routes will lead to increased noise levels in parts of eastern HafenCity. For that reason, non-noise sensitive commercial uses will dominate in eastern Versmannstrasse, which will also improve noise protection for residential uses.

Environmentally friendly transport

HafenCity’s central situation is also an open invitation to dispense with cars: the complex network of footpaths and cycling routes is unusually close-meshed. No problem for people without their own bicycles: bikes can be rented in front of the Unilever building from the Hamburg StadtRad hire system for which additional rental points are planned in HafenCity.

An essential requirement for sustainable development in HafenCity, with its dense mix of uses and high number of visitors, is an efficient public transport system. Two existing subway stations (U1 and U3) are sited at the interface with the current city center.

A new subway line

The new U4 subway, via Jungfernstieg, calling at the main station and Berliner Tor, and then travelling on as far as Bill-stedt, will access southern and central HafenCity from fall 2012 through the new Überseequartier station. The breakthrough for the second tunnel of the future U4 subway line at Jungfernstieg was celebrated at the end of 2010. This means that the basic work for the new line between the city center and Hafen-City is completed; technical development of both the line and subway stations is under way. When operations begin, up to 35,000 people a day are expected to use the line. The station at HafenCity University will start operations in 2013 when the university opens. Another station will connect with Elbbrücken from 2017/18, which will be a subway and rapid transit (U and S-Bahn) junction in the medium term. An additional U4 subway station will be built at Am Lohsepark.

HafenCity already has good and flexible HVV bus services that are constantly being adapted to the growth of the new city district. The first ferry pier has been installed near the Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall; two more are to follow at HafenCity University and Baakenhafen. In addition there will be several launch jetties, including in Magdeburger Hafen harbor basin.

Planning and realization of these complex infrastructural measures (except on private land) is the responsibility of the developer, HafenCity Hamburg GmbH, owned by the City of Hamburg.  
Financing is covered exclusively by sales of land in the planning zone. However, finance for the new U4 subway line, planned and realized by Hamburger Hochbahn AG, comes out of budgetary funds of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg as well as federal subsidies. The cost of external access to HafenCity, the planned reconstruction of Deichtorplatz, as well as bridges to be built between HafenCity and other city neighborhoods, is also financed out of Hamburg’s state budget.