New use of commercial wasteland
(Hamburg)
Source: Stadt Hamburg
The urban district of Wilhelmsburg (pop. 49,000) between the Hamburg inner-city and the southern district of Harburg is a shrinking urban district in the growing city of Hamburg. Wilhelmsburg lies on a large island in the Elbe, the western end has poor transport connections to the Hamburg centre and faces the challenge of using the potential spaces resulting from the structural change of the port industry profitably for the development of the urban district. The port area and commercial districts with their waterfront locations and canals offer particular development opportunities. There are numerous wasteland areas on the waterways of Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg, which have a large potential for new work places. In these previously neglected locations, the wastelands offer numerous chances, notably for the relocation of forward-looking service and commercial companies in conjunction with green and leisure use.
Source: Stadt Hamburg
The new use of the main building of the former Palmin plant in Jaffestrasse as a commercial studio opens up a new work place for new user groups from the field of culture and creative arts in a location that is characterised by an economic structural change and social problems. The building used to belong to an industrial complex of the large margarine company Palmin. Following damage during the war, there were temporary uses as a business park and a printers. The building has been empty since 2003. Enquiries with larger, medium-sized companies were unsuccessful. The owners decided to change the multi-storeyed building into a so-called commercial studio.
Overall, nine new commercial studios have been created over an area of approx. 1,500 m². Each has two levels with a gallery area, which can be used both for work and living. As part of the redevelopment, the facade has also been renovated and the building reinsulated. The studio areas were initially rented for EUR 5.00 net, exclusive of other costs. This comparatively limited rent permitted a use by artists and new companies. All rooms are let, which suggests the offer was very attractive. The nine tenants are artists, craftsmen or service providers (architect, clock maker, painter, …), which value the location and the atmosphere and have selectively sought this form of life, the mix of living and working, as well as community. Several new users are actively contributing to the urban restructuring process of Wilhelmsburg and are thereby supporting the desired change from a port and industrial location into an attractive living and leisure location. The project is a component of a development strategy for the urban district, which traditionally was a worker's neighbourhood and is now also characterised by a high proportion of residents with a migration background. The strategy is included in city-wide concepts and projects, such as the so-called "Sprung über die Elbe" (Leap over the Elbe), the planned International Building Exhibition and the International Garden Exhibition 2013.
The project was supported within the framework of the ExWoSt research project "Stadtumbau-West".
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2003 | Vacancy of the industrial building Jaffestrasse 6 due to the bankruptcy of the previous tenant |
| 2003 | Start of the ExWoSt research project Stadtumbau West in Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg |
| 2003 | Funding contract between the Free Hanseatic City of Hamburg and the owner to redevelop the building, start of the redevelopment work on the commercial studios |
| 2004 | Opening of the commercial studio and letting of the units |
Source: Hans E. H. Puhst GmbH & Co.KG, Seevetal
Source: FORUM GmbH
Source: FORUM GmbH
The innovation lies in having been able to gain artists and new companies as attractive target groups for urban redevelopment processes in order to deal with the economic and social change. Through an initiative by the owner, a niche offer has been created that selectively targets these demand groups. With so-called commercial studios in valuable construction terms, and historic former industrial building, living and working under one roof is made possible. The success can be seen in the fact that this has taken place at a location that was previously considered to be less attractive and neglected in terms of urban development policy.
The project location can be directly translated into Google-maps. Project in Google-Maps
The projekt site ist to be found at postal code: 21109 - town: Hamburg - street: Jaffestraße 6.
Record inserted on 13.07.2009 by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) within the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR).
Last update: 30.10.2009
