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Geesthacht
Phase
1: Urban Redevelopment of the Waterfront
Phase
2: Urban Redevelopment of the Waterfront: - Uferpark
Phase 1
'Geesthacht an die Elbe!' started as part of the Europan 5 Competition, a Europe-wide competition, organised to promote new ideas in Architecture, Housing and Urban Planning. The brief asked to design an urban planning concept for bringing together the harbour area and the town centre of Geesthacht in a lasting, emotional and structural manner. The 35 ha previously derelict inner-city site is directly located at the river Elbe, approx. 30km east of Hamburg.
The first
phase comprised a bridge connecting the town to the Elbe, and a series
of public outdoor spaces with two major event spaces: an outdoor theatre,
and a 10,000sqm large multifunctional square.
Throughout the design process, direct dialogue took place between the
architects and the community, to define the future uses of the site. This
direct participatory process is a key part of the publicworks design methodology.
The project has been awarded the Regional Price for Innovative Architecture in the public realm 2003.
Click the link to read more about phase 1
The “Uferpark” provides new public activities within an area of natural beauty, directly at the embankment of the River Elbe. Within a long-term framework of renaturation, a series of new public niches have been built short-term within only 4 months, which challenge the users to participate and communicate. In contrary to the mainly formally organised activities, held in the event-spaces of Phase 1 (outdoor theatre and multifunctional square), the “Uferpark” is a place for informal activities and gatherings. Because of its unique location, the “Uferpark” has been designed to put water to the fare front: New views to the water have been purposefully created. Main feature is the “Water Axis”, a pedestrian path, which leads along three different playstations with real water: The “Playground Pump”, the “Fountain” and the “Water Jet”.
In addition to this, there are numerous new spaces, which can be accommodated by the community in a multitude of different ways:
| •
The “Spring Glade” is a big open green space for ball
games and other sports activities. This area is also used as a temporary
carpark, when additional parking space is needed at times of bigger
events. • Two “Activity Niches” are designed as meeting point and relaxation area “in the green”. A picnic area and barbecue place are integrated within one of these “Activity Niches”. • The “Path of Senses” curves along the waterfront and leads from playstation to playstation. Addressing all different senses, these provide distraction from the every-day for young and old and raise the awareness for nature and the unique surroundings. • The existing Minigolf area has been relocated and integrated into the “Uferpark”. |
Finally, the living conditions for flora and fauna have been improved, encouraging a diverse wildlife and habitat for the nightingale. Regularly in Spring, the community comes together to meet in the new activity niches and listen to the song of this very rare bird.