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PROJECTS / STRANDKAI

Residential Development in Hamburg's HafenCity

In Hamburg's HafenCity, one of the city's most appealing new neighborhoods, a 58-meter-tall apartment tower is under construction. The project began in 2014 after winning first place in an international design competition, organized in collaboration with the Department for Urban Development and the Environment and HafenCity Hamburg GmbH. The site, located on the western Strandkai peninsula, offers stunning views of the Elbe River, the Philharmonie, the port, and Hamburg’s inner city.

Situated on elevated ground, the new building will stand on a protective mound designed to prevent flooding. This mound transitions to a lower quay level, connected by broad steps leading towards the Norderelbe. These steps extend beneath the tower and merge into the first floor, creating a public plaza that enhances the waterfront promenade.

The design of the apartment tower emphasizes the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, with each unit featuring spacious balconies that offer expansive views of the horizon and passing ships. A sight axis extends northward via Grasbrook harbor, linking the property with Vasco-da-Gama Square and the Oval high-rise, designed by Christoph Ingenhoven and completed in 2008.

The building's external appearance is defined by three key elements: an open, transparent ground floor, a pattern of triangular balconies, and prominent external pillars. The slender, elegant load-bearing structure extends from the roof downward, giving the tower a distinctive presence in the HafenCity skyline.

The apartment tower, with its rhythmic facade and distinctive top, will make a notable addition to the Elbe’s city skyline.The design allows for flexible apartment layouts of varying sizes, each with its own balcony. The building's core is set back from its edges, creating alternating terraces around the structure. Semi-movable translucent sliding elements, or "windbreakers," address wind and sun exposure. The penthouse levels are recessed and feature duplex apartments with larger terraces compared to other units.

The architects aim to achieve the "HafenCity Gold" environmental certification for this project, with completion slated for 2024.

Data

International competition 2014, 1st prize
Construction start 2018
Completion 2024
Client PE Strandkai: Aug. Prien Real Estate Company, DC Developments 

GFA 13,700 m²

Green Building HafenCity Gold environmental certificate 

Credits

Project Management

CPE and Assmann

Structural Design

Wetzel & von Seht

Facade Design

Prof. Michael Lange

Fire Protection

HHP Nord/Ost Beratende

Services Engineering

Pinck

Landscape Design

Enric Miralles—Benedetta Tagliabue and WES 

Building Physics

Taubert und Ruhe

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