HafenCity Project

HafenCity - facts and figures

The most important facts and figures about what is currently Europe’s biggest inner-city development project, its varied quarters and land use concepts

Essential facts and figures about Europe’s biggest inner-city development project now, its varied neighborhoods and land use concepts
Status: March 2012

 Overview

1. Essential facts  & figures
2. Development Management and HafenCity Hamburg GmbH
3. Development of HafenCity
4. Land use - current status
5. Sustainable HafenCity
6. Quarters

 

1. ESSENTIAL FACTS & FIGURES

HafenCity covers an area of 157 hectares, making it one of the most prominent inner-city waterfront development projects in the world. Based on a new concept for urban living, it will increase the size of Hamburg City by 40 percent (Hamburg has a population of approx. 1.78 million, the Hamburg Metropolitan Region 4.3 million). Between the historic Speicherstadt warehouse district and the River Elbe a new city with a cosmopolitan mix of homes, service businesses, culture, leisure, tourism and commerce is emerging. Structures typical of a port will be retained. The development is being managed by HafenCity Hamburg GmbH, a 100-per cent subsidiary of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. The time-frame for development of the entire area extends to circa 2025. HafenCity is already rated as the model project for international waterfront and “new downtown” development.

Key data

• Total area: 157 hectares (ha)
• Land area: 126 ha
• Expansion of Hamburg City by 40 %
• Gross floor area (GFA): new building circa 2.32 million m²
• 6,000 homes and more than 45,000 jobs will be created
• 10.5 km of new waterfront with promenades and squares
• Around 26 ha public parks, squares and promenades
• Currently 49 projects are completed; another 35 under construction or planned
• Over 1 million m² GFA already confirmed through sales of land or exclusive options with planning obligations
• Previous to sale approx. 99 % of sites suitable for construction are publicly owned (“Stadt und Hafen” special fund under public law represented by HafenCity Hamburg GmbH)
• Investment volume: private investment approx. € 8 billion; public investment: circa € 2.4 billion, primarily financed out of sales of land in HafenCity (circa € 1.5 billion)
• General basis for planning:
  ◦Masterplan 2000
  ◦Masterplan revision eastern HafenCity 2010

 2. DEVELOPEMENT MANAGEMENT AND HAFENCITY HAMBURG GMBH

Major urban development projects call for strong interaction and coalescence between conception and realization. In particular, because of the high level of development and the considerable intricacy involved in closely coordinating public investment (circa EUR 2,4 billion) with acquisition of private investment (around EUR 8 billion) the resulting responsibilities are very complex and demand strong management.

In 1997 a port and location development company (GHS) was set up to manage the development of HafenCity – since 2004 it has been known as HafenCity Hamburg GmbH. It is responsible for the "special city and port fund" under public law: sales of land and areas of HafenCity almost completely owned by the City of Hamburg finance the lion’s share of public investment, notably roads, bridges, squares, parks, quays and promenades. In addition to this financing responsibility, HafenCity Hamburg GmbH also clears and prepares sites, plans and builds infrastructure and public spaces, acquires and contracts real estate developers and larger users, and is responsible for public relations and communication.

HafenCity Hamburg GmbH is a 100 percent subsidiary of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.  It is developing HafenCity at Hamburg’s behest.  Public supervision, cooperation, and the division of responsibilities are demanding: the supervisory board of HafenCity Hamburg GmbH consists of members of the city senate. Hamburg is a municipality and one of the 16 federal states of Germany. Sales and options (with an obligation to plan) on land purchases have to be approved by the Land Commission; zoning plans are subject to consultation and approval from the Commission of Urban Development (made up largely of parliamentary and local government representatives), zoning plans are processed by the Ministry of Urban Development and Environment and permits issued by it. Competition juries for urban planning and open space competitions as well as competitions for buildings are constituted, in addition to representatives of private developers and independent architects, by the Ministry of Urban Development and Environment (chief planning officer), the district council, HafenCity Hamburg GmbH and several politicians (from Mitte district or the city parliament).

By concentrating non-official functions in a dedicated development company of its own, Hamburg can ensure the efficiency and quality of the urban development project, yet through intensive division of labor and control also retain a high degree of public accountability.

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Bridging the Baakenhafen

The 130m long and around 21m wide Baakenhafen Bridge will connect the northern part of the Baakenhafen quarter with its southern part, and represents an important milestone in the ongoing development of the eastern HafenCity

The new bridge, located in a flood-protected area, not only connects the development area and the southern connection to the U4 metro station at HafenCity University and other public transport links, but may in the future be extended over the river Elbe to Kleinen Grasbrook.
The brief called for high standards of leisure provision and sustainability. In June 2009 HafenCity Hamburg GmbH in collaboration with the Urban Development and Environment Agency launched an interdisciplinary design competition for 10 teams of engineers and architects. In December the decision was reached: the first prize was awarded to Wilkinson Eyre Architects from London together with Happold Engineers from Berlin. Construction is expected to commence at the beginning of 2012.

The technical and aesthetic requirements of the competition were challenging. The brief required a two (extendable to three) lane road extending from the eastern edge of the planned Lohsepark. Since the Elbe Cycleway will cross the bridge and heavy pedestrian traffic towards the HafenCity University metro station is expected, particular emphasis was also placed on the quality of the pedestrian and cycling realm. Similar importance was given to the walkway passing beneath the bridge, as bankside promenades play a key role as leisure and recreation amenities at HafenCity. A further requirement for the bridge construction was a 30m wide removable section that can be lifted in order to allow large ships to pass into the Baakenhafen, thereby ensuring its continued flexible use as a waterway.

The competition jury, led by independent architect Peter Ackermann (Munich), reached the following decision in conjunction with political representatives of the Hamburg Central district:

First prize
Wilkinson Eyre Architects, London; with Happold Engineers, Berlin

Second prize
Prof Bernhard Winking Architects BDA, Hamburg; with Ingenieurbüro Grassl GmbH Consulting Engineers, Hamburg

Third prize
ingenhoven architects GmbH, Düsseldorf; with Arup BV

The winning design convinced the jury with its pragmatic, elegant design proposal that reflects the local context whilst expressing the force flow within the curved geometry of the structure. The bridge is in essence a classical balanced-cantilever structure, with two identical flanking structures supporting a central "drop-in" section that is removable to allow access for larger ships. In addition to the abutments at the north and south sides of the dock, the bridge is supported by two sculptural piers in the form of tetrapods. The fluid form of the bridge spans the Baakenhafen in an elegant gesture. A further characteristic of the bridge lies in the configuration of the pedestrian walkways parallel to the road. These are cantilevered from the edge beam on each side, tracking up and down the depth of the structure along its length. On one side the footpath curving away from the deck at the piers runs higher than the road and cycle path, while on the other it runs lower. In cross section the bridge is configured such that on one side of the deck the walkway is high, and on the other side it is correspondingly low. This creates an exciting spatial experience with unsurpassed views reaching from the ferry terminal at the west over the northern Elbe to the opposite bank; this panorama is framed by new buildings such as the HafenCity University and the distinctive development at the Baaken dock. Opportunities for sitting and lingering further define the bridge as a destination and meeting-place as well as a connection.

A particularly important aspect of the competition brief was the consideration of sustainability, and its application in the bridge construction. Since no standard sustainability assessment exists, a brief and evaluation criteria were established in collaboration with the DGNB (German Association for Sustainable Building) and with reference to the established HafenCity guidelines for sustainable construction. The bridge will thereby set a new benchmark for environmental, economic, functional and technical standards. In further pursuit of the sustainability agenda, the bridge is intended to be a "pilot project" for the development of sustainable engineering design standards. The bridge will cost up to 12m Euro to build.

Jürgen Bruns-Berentelg, CEO of Hafencity Hamburg GmbH said:
"The beautiful winning design by Wilkinson Eyre Architects (London) not only fulfils the complex functional requirements of the brief, but also represents an elegant, restrained structure that creates an exciting impression with its dynamic pedestrian realm."

Prof Jörn Walter, director of building for the Urban Development and Environment Agency said:
"Wilkinson Eyre Architects has proposed a convincing structure that is impressive and coherent, and in particular provides excellent views for the pedestrian over the Elbe and the Baakenhafen."

Both Wilkinson Eyre Architects and Happold are noted for their bridge designs, which range from small footbridges to major bridge structures such as the Gateshead Millennium Bridge and the Paradise Street Bridge in Liverpool (both Wilkinson Eyre).

Press contact:
Susanne Bühler, Press and Public Relations, HafenCity Hamburg GmbH
0049 40 37 47 26 14
buehler@hafencity.com