Crane tower, hafencity, Europe, hamburg, germany, studio gang, industrial, master plan, the green elbe elbow, paris, Vienna, truss

Studio Gang together with four other firms from Chicago – Hamburg’s sister city – were asked to contribute to the design of the HafenCity urban development project. It is currently the largest inner-city development in Europe and the main idea was to create a master plan which would explore the potentials of a former container yard at Hamburg’s southern entry point. Studio Gang’s concept of Grüner Elbe Bogen  – “the Green Elbe Elbow”- links the Hafen site with a much larger green ring already planned by the city. The completion of such a ring, in combination with the site’s water access, would put Hamburg on par with more famous cities such as Paris and Vienna.

In the southeast portion of the site, a series of carefully-positioned, mixed-use high rise towers merge from a low, horizontal podium building that connects them to the heart of Chicago Square. The tallest is the Crane Tower, 70 stories tall, symbolizing the industrial context of the area. Meant to stand as a landmark identifying a new gateway into Hamburg, Crane Tower’s visual and structural references to the cranes of the industrial dockland emphasize Hamburg’s unique port identity. The Tower employs a three-legged base that straddles the site’s infrastructure and pedestrian and bike routes. Inside, residents can take the elevators to an amenity level located within a giant truss that stabilizes the tower’s legs. The apartments rise up from the platform provided by this truss, giving its residents unencumbered views of the city and water beyond.

 

Crane tower, hafencity, Europe, hamburg, germany, studio gang, industrial, master plan, the green elbe elbow, paris, Vienna, truss

Crane tower, hafencity, Europe, hamburg, germany, studio gang, industrial, master plan, the green elbe elbow, paris, Vienna, truss

Crane tower, hafencity, Europe, hamburg, germany, studio gang, industrial, master plan, the green elbe elbow, paris, Vienna, truss

Crane tower, hafencity, Europe, hamburg, germany, studio gang, industrial, master plan, the green elbe elbow, paris, Vienna, truss

 

 

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