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Dutch architecture firm MVRDV has won a master plan competition with co-architect morePlatz for a major new development in the southern high-tech neighbourhood of Channel Hamburg. HC Hageman — one of Germany's oldest construction companies — is carrying out the 70,000-square-metre development, which encompasses 6,300 square metres of hotels, 5,400 square metres of conference halls, 26,000 square metres of offices and start-ups, 9,600 square metres of laboratories, 7,100 square metres of research facilities, and 7,800 square metres of parking.
The five-building development will provide efficient connectivity to its surroundings via a system of alleys between the street and harbour basin. A plinth of up to three storeys serves as a platform for public spaces and casual engagement, while the layers above act as ideal spots for laboratories and flexible office spaces. The centre of the building volumes would be dedicated to amenities and special conveniences, such as restaurants, canteens, and libraries.
Parking is relegated to the underground levels, and the development's green features receive top billing on the roof, where terraces and solar cells will be situated. Later stages of implementation could see a series of sky bridges connecting the buildings, with built-in adaptability allowing these links to become horizontal planes of office space. A preexisting hall would be preserved and converted into the project's grand entrance, while the hotel component would float in the port.
A diverse public realm including a park, boulevard, square, and waterside promenade encourages workers to conduct meetings outside and engage in al fresco dining. The phased approach to the project makes it possible to commission different architects for each building. As the building program changes with time, there's also an opportunity to make alterations to the master plan to accommodate those refinements. Owing to this unique strategy, no concrete timeframe for completion has been committed to.
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