2022-June-HafenCity Hamburg-More than just Elphi

Enough has been written about the Elbphilharmonie, or Elphi as it is commonly known. I have also written about it here. Of course, it is the landmark, but the HafenCity has more to offer.

The largest inner-city urban development project in Europe is characterized by many extravagant new buildings. The groundbreaking ceremony only took place in 2001. HafenCity is now its own district. However, the city within the city is not yet complete. For example, many cranes currently adorn a huge construction site where the Westfield Überseequartier will be built by 2023. This will be a very large shopping center including residential buildings, hotels, and its own cruise terminal (!). First major leases with Breuninger and ZARA have already been signed.

But what can already be predicted is that the square meter prices here will also skyrocket. The entire HafenCity is actually more suited for higher earners, even though parts of the buildings are rented out by cooperatives.

Overall, efforts were made to keep speculators out. For this purpose, HafenCity Hamburg GmbH was founded. It is 100% owned by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg and allocates the land or directs the entire district development.

But why was the area even redeveloped in the first place? With the introduction of container shipping, the warehouses that previously shaped the area in the port were no longer needed and often stood empty. Degenerating into an industrial wasteland, a new purpose was sought for the area along the Elbe. After all, we are talking about an area of 157 hectares.

Whether the HafenCity Hamburg project has been successful, you can explore for yourself or take a look at my photos for a first impression.