Reopening the PhilturmPhilturm Officially Reopens

11 April 2024, by Newsroom editorial office

Photo: Universität Hamburg / Feuerböther

From left to right: Hamburg’s second mayor and science senator Katharina Fegebank; University president Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren; and the dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Prof. Dr. Silke Segler‐Meßner at the reopening ceremony in the Oscar Kokoschka Lecture Hall

Photo: Universität Hamburg / Feuerböther

Prof. Dr. Silke Segler-Meßner opened the event with words of welcome.

Photo: Universität Hamburg / Feuerböther

Prof. Dr. Frank Schmitz (Art History Seminar) explained the Philturm’s architecture.

Photo: Universität Hamburg / Esfandiari

Interior of the Philturm

After 5 years of conservation measures, the Philturm on the Von-Melle-Park campus has officially reopened. The Faculty of Humanities was already able to return from the Überseering campus to resume teaching duties in Fall 2023.

The reopening ceremony took place on 10 April 2024 in the Oskar Kokoschka Lecture Hall. Prof. Dr. Silke Segler-Meßner, dean of the Faculty of Humanities, opened the ceremony with words of welcome. Following the faculty’s temporary move to Überseering, which meant long commutes and difficult teaching and studying conditions, the dean said the excitement about the return to the main campus was palpable. “Only after we moved out did it become clear that the community among the departments is more than the sum of its parts,” said Segler-Meßner. This is why, she continued, she is especially happy about the new building in the formerly unused inner courtyard (the “cube”), which should foster interdisciplinary exchange thanks to new work spaces.

The University’s president Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren also expressed his delight about the reopening. “Today is a really wonderful day to celebrate,” he said. He also hopes, he said, that the interdisciplinary exchange, thanks to the cube and the new central library and student dining hall, will also emerge at other locations.

Katharina Fegebank, Hamburg’s science senator and second mayor, emphasized that the Philturm is part of the University’s DNA and thanked everyone who made the reopening possible.

The Philturm is a 14-story landmark designed for the Universität Hamburg campus in 1962 by architect Paul Seitz. The building will be used by 4 departments in the Humanities and now, following conservation measures, offers space to around 2,500 students and 500 work spaces.