Science City Hamburg-BahrenfeldFirst Designs for Quartiere am Volkspark to Be Presented

9 February 2024, by Newsroom editorial office

Photo: Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld GmbH; aerial photograph: Fotofrizz B. Kuhn

The competition area extends over approximately 55 hectares along the Volkspark and across the racecourse, the allotments to the east, and the under-construction A7 overpass up to Holstenkamp.

As Hamburg’s newest area dedicated to science and scholarship, Science City Hamburg-Bahrenfeld is undergoing a great deal of change. Alongside the construction and renovation of scientific buildings—for Universität Hamburg among others—planning for residential and work life in the quarter is also underway. The first 3 designs for the Quartiere am Volkspark have been selected and will be presented to the public.

Discussions for the Quartiere am Volkspark began in October 2023 with a planning process, which saw impassioned participation by the public. The plan is to develop a vibrant urban quarter that combines science and research with uses such as housing, leisure, work, education, and social services and contributes to a socially and ecologically sustainable city. Around 3,800 new-build apartments—of which a high proportion will be subsidized housing—offering an array of housing options as well as social and sports amenities will provide residents with a high level of living comfort irrespective of their backgrounds and needs.

The competition area extends over approximately 55 hectares along the Volkspark and across the racecourse, the allotments to the east, and the under-construction A7 overpass up to Holstenkamp. Most of the existing applications are to be ceased or relocated. A crucial milestone is the construction of a new underground S-Bahn line with a station centrally located in the area.

Procedure with impassioned public participation

Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld GmbH announced that 3 designs have now been chosen from 6 submissions for in-depth assessment and revision. The designs come from Cobe (Copenhagen, Denmark), Karres en Brands (Hilversum, Netherlands) and ADEPT (Copenhagen, Denmark), and Mandaworks (Stockholm, Sweden) and LOLA Landscape Architects (Rotterdam, Netherlands).

The designs will be presented publicly. The public exhibition on the interim findings of the urban and open-space planning competition for the Quartiere am Volkspark will kick off with an introductory event on 15 February 2024 at 6 pm in the Science City Infocenter (Albert-Einstein-Ring 8–10). On the evening, the framework conditions (classification into the procedure, assignment for the planning teams) will be presented before the 3 selected teams—connected online—briefly present their designs. The exhibition can be viewed there 16–18 February (Friday, 16 February, 3–7 pm; Saturday, 17 February, 11 am–4 pm; Sunday, 18 February, 11 am–4 pm). The event is free.