Elbbrücken City Approach

Up until now, the urban space around the Elbbrücken has primarily been conceived of as a place of transition that, in terms of function and urban design, barely does justice to its role as an entrance to the city. The objective of the 2019 trial urban/landscape design planning process was to make better use of this entrance to the city from an urban design point of view and to elevate the currently heavily fragmented surroundings around Billhorner Brückenstraße as an important and clearly defined entrance to the city of Hamburg whilst also creating an appropriate transition between the different urban environments. Following gmp’s successful participation in the trial planning process, the practice was commissioned to produce the masterplan as well as the detailed plans of individual sectors.

The new masterplan systematically builds on the historic city development pattern. The basic structures are derived from the situation in each of the individual sectors: the Veddel neighborhood is extended through to the River Elbe by way of a symbolic development around the currently unused listed customs halls, and thereby becomes clearly visible both from the motorway and from the northern bank of the River Elbe.

Rothenburgsort is given a clear urban edge development facing Billhorner Brückenstrasse. A continuous block development is used to increase the urban density and underscore the proximity of Rothenburgsort to the inner city. This results in a compact urban precinct with a new interpretation of the original density of Rothenburgsort. The pedestrian routes between Rothenburgsort, HafenCity, Veddel and Grasbrook, as well as the parks and the water, are systematically extended. In addition, access to the River Bille is improved, thereby making this landscape element a more vibrant part of the neighborhood.