Publica
Publica

PUBLIC REALM VISION FOR HAMBURG

A proposition to activate and improve the public realm of the Domachse – a major series of streets connecting Hamburg's historic centre with its riverside harbour

Publica

Year

2023

Service

Visions, Strategies & Masterplans

Client

Hamburg City Council

Location

Hamburg, DE

Collaborators

Daniel Talesnik

CONTEXT

In Autumn 2023, Publica was invited by Hamburg City Council to participate in an ideas competition for the future of the “Domachse,” a crucial north-south series of streets that connect the historic city centre (Innenstadt) and the Binnenalster Lake to the Elbe and the HafenCity development. Over the next several decades, in accordance with the city’s long-term planning, the Innenstadt will evolve from its current commercial and office uses to include more housing and residential services, while the HafenCity development will reach a new phase, with significant amounts of housing made available. Together, these changes will create a more liveable, densely-populated part of the city, through which the Domachse will be the prime avenue. Today, the street is dominated by car traffic, offering an unpleasant cycle route, and convoluted pedestrian experience with little sense of continuity. Our proposal aims not only to improve this journey for cyclists and pedestrians, but to create new identity for the street and promote the social purpose of public spaces as places in which people can come together and participate in the life of the city.

Publica

Proposed interventions on Brandstewiete

Publica

Proposed interventions on Domplatz

PROPOSAL

Our proposal is for a street activated by a diverse calendar of events and a series of public realm interventions that will combine to realise the potential of the street and define its purpose and identity within Hamburg. The scheme will be implemented gradually, with the public realm interventions being delivered alongside events over several years, resulting in the long-term transformation of the Domachse. This gradual implementation makes the scheme inherently flexible, inviting the people of Hamburg to take part and influence the future of the street.

Publica

Vision Drawing

INTERVENTIONS

While the events will ensure that the Domachse will emerge as a destination in the Innenstadt, it is the public realm improvements that will lead to the long-term transformation of the street. Feature lighting of arcades, trees and landmarks will animate the street; a variety of new seating types will encourage people to gather and dwell in the space; planting will enhance the ‘green feel’ of the street and provide shade through specimen trees, groves, and SUDS planting beds; new surfaces and structures will provide the infrastructure for the diverse range of events proposed. These interventions would be delivered in a phased approach, gradually transforming the space with each year of events. Throughout year one, improvements are made to lighting and seating; in year two, planting is introduced; and in year three, surfaces and structure might be added.  The design is a careful process of addition, building cleverly on what is there today to sustainably transform the space in the short-term toward a long-term vision.

Publica

EVENTS

A curated calendar of events would activate the spaces along the Domachse throughout the year. The calendar is anchored by well-established events such as the Hafengeburtstag, Binnenalster FilmFest, and the Duckstein-Festival, which already occur nearby the Domachse, is expanded with new events that celebrate the people, culture and history of the city. Perhaps a Herring Festival to celebrate Hamburg’s cuisine and its connection to the sea, or a book and typography festival to continue the city’s long-standing association with the press. The events will take place in a series of spaces along the Domachse to animate the street in different and surprising ways across the year.

Publica
Publica

Publica's vision for the Domachse was presented to the public in Hauptkirche St Katharinen on 13th October 2023. Collaborating on this project was Daniel Talesnik, professor of Architecture at the University of Bath. 

PUBLIC REALM VISION FOR HAMBURG

 

A proposition to activate and improve the public realm of the Domachse – a major street connecting Hamburg's historic centre with its riverside harbour

Publica

Year

2023

Service

Visions, Strategies & Masterplans

Client

Hamburg City Council

Location

Hamburg, DE

CONTEXT

 

In Autumn 2023, Publica was invited by Hamburg City Council to participate in an ideas competition for the future of the “Domachse,” a crucial north-south street that connects the historic city centre (Innenstadt) and the Binnenalster Lake to the Elbe and the HafenCity development. Over the next several decades, in accordance with the city’s long-term planning, the Innenstadt will evolve from its current commercial and office uses to include more housing and residential services, while the HafenCity development will reach a new phase, with significant amounts of housing made available. Together, these changes will create a more liveable, densely-populated part of the city, through which the Domachse will be the prime avenue. Today, the street is dominated by car traffic, offering an unpleasant cycle route, and convoluted pedestrian experience with little sense of continuity. Our proposal aims not only to improve this journey for cyclists and pedestrians, but to create new identity for the street and promote the social purpose of public spaces as places in which people can come together and participate in the life of the city.

Publica

Proposed interventions on Domplatz

Publica

Proposed interventions on Brandstewiete

PROPOSAL

Our proposal is for a street activated by a diverse calendar of events and a series of public realm interventions that will combine to realise the potential of the street and define its purpose and identity within Hamburg. The scheme will be implemented gradually, with the public realm interventions being delivered alongside events over several years, resulting in the long-term transformation of the Domachse. This gradual implementation makes the scheme inherently flexible, inviting the people of Hamburg to take part and influence the future of the street.

Publica

Vision Drawing

INTERVENTIONS

While the events will ensure that the Domachse will emerge as a destination in the Innenstadt, it is the public realm improvements that will lead to the long-term transformation of the street. Feature lighting of arcades, trees and landmarks will animate the street; a variety of new seating types will encourage people to gather and dwell in the space; planting will enhance the ‘green feel’ of the street and provide shade through specimen trees, groves, and SUDS planting beds; new surfaces and structures will provide the infrastructure for the diverse range of events proposed. These interventions would be delivered in a phased approach, gradually transforming the space with each year of events. Throughout year one, improvements are made to lighting and seating; in year two, planting is introduced; and in year three, surfaces and structure might be added.  The design is a careful process of addition, building cleverly on what is there today to sustainably transform the space in the short-term toward a long-term vision.

Publica

EVENTS

A curated calendar of events would activate the spaces along the Domachse throughout the year. The calendar is anchored by well-established events such as the Hafengeburtstag, Binnenalster FilmFest, and the Duckstein-Festival, which already occur nearby the Domachse, is expanded with new events that celebrate the people, culture and history of the city. Perhaps a Herring Festival to celebrate Hamburg’s cuisine and its connection to the sea, or a book and typography festival to continue the city’s long-standing association with the press. The events will take place in a series of spaces along the Domachse to animate the street in different and surprising ways across the year.

Publica
Publica

Publica's vision for the Domachse was presented to the public in Hauptkirche St Katharinen on 13th October 2023. Collaborating on this project was Daniel Talesnik, professor of Architecture at the University of Bath.