Office and Commercial Building Alter Wall

The conversion and refurbishment of the property at Alter Wall 2‒32, directly adjacent to the Hamburg Town Hall, has been completed with the opening of the Flagshipstore at Rathausmarkt in October 2020. The urban design context has been reestablished and extended. During the architectural competition and in dialog with the client, Hamburg’s town planners, and the preservation officers, gmp developed the architectural and urban design concept for a comprehensive conversion of the city block, which enjoys protection as a historic monument. A new connection has been opened up between the Nikolaiquartier in the southeast and the business district Neuer Wall / Große Bleichen in the northwest, leading through the pedestrianized Rathaushof and Alter Wall, then on via the Bucerus Arcades through the row of buildings, and across the new Marion-Gräfin-Dönhoff Bridge that crosses the Alsterfleet. To achieve this, the Bucerius Kunst Forum was relocated to the crossroad at the center of the row of buildings, and a public underground parking garage was built underneath the buildings in order to keep the pedestrianized boulevard free from cars. The protected facades were restored and modified with the effect that the retail shops and restaurants along the boulevard are now accessible at ground level. The small and dark inner courtyards were stripped out and merged to form one large space. On the second floor, a glass-roofed atrium is available for events. The building at the end of the row, opposite Rathausmarkt, is fully protected as a historic monument. It has been extensively refurbished to restore the historic substance, such as the Oktogon, the historic marble stairwell and the neoclassical muschelkalk facade.