The HafenCity, Hamburg

Hamburg’s HafenCity quarter is a redeveloped area of docklands south of the city centre. Formerly a part of the Free Port of Hamburg, it was removed from the port’s jurisdiction to allow the area to be redeveloped. The district, in the northern half of the Speicherstadt dockland area, now contains a growing number of new homes, office buildings and tourist attractions. Covering an area of over 2 square kilometres, it is the largest rebuilding project in Europe. When finished in twenty years’ time, it will house 12,000 people, and host a work force of 40,000. A new U-Bahn line, the U4, opens this year, providing better transport links with Hamburg city centre.

Despite being a relatively new quarter, the HafenCity has plenty to attract the casual tourist. HafenCity has a range of quirky museum attractions, including a model railway and spice museum on Am Sandtorkai. The jewel of the new area is set to be the Elbe Philharmonic Hall, the flagship concert hall for Hamburg, which is set to open in 2013. Away from the tourist attractions, the city is aiming to develop HafenCity as a sustainable place to live and work. All planning applications are judged on their ecological impact, as well as the quality and originality of the design. The result is a contemporary quarter with a mixture of redeveloped warehouses and eco-friendly, stylish office blocks.