New lecture hall center at the University of Hamburg

Science City is growing. And with it the location of the University of Hamburg and other scientific institutions in Bahrenfeld. In order to provide the right structural infrastructure for future-oriented research and teaching, the architectural competition has now been completed for the construction of the University of Hamburg's new lecture hall center. The design by the renowned Munich firm Nickl Architekten came out on top in the planning competition. A total of 12 international planning teams took part in the Europe-wide structural engineering competition.

The University of Hamburg's lecture hall center is an important building block for providing excellent teaching for around 5,500 students in Science City. In the middle of the planned Campusviertel of the Quartiere am Volkspark , the lecture hall center will be the first building block for science, uniting all lecture halls and seminar rooms under one roof and, together with the planned canteen, will be one of the central points of contact for students and staff. The Volkspark quarters combine science and education with a lively neighborhood and green open spaces. They are being developed by the municipal company Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld GmbH.

Along the central campus axis, as an extension of the current access to the existing research campus, the new lecture hall center can be entered via the Luruper Chaussee level as well as in the height development up to the Campus Agora. The large lecture hall with 700 seats and the canteen are connected to a foyer. Seating steps offer students an opportunity to linger and exchange ideas.

The winning design envisages a simple, pleasantly calm structure for the lecture hall center. The entrance on Luruper Chaussee creates a spacious, inviting foyer with a vertical connection to the atrium, which also provides access to the large lecture hall. The canteen, which faces the campus agora, will be connected to the foyer via a spacious staircase and an elevator. The required teaching and lecture rooms are arranged around the atrium on the two upper floors. Well-functioning, open learning areas are arranged on the galleries around the atrium, some of which relate to the outside space. The design was particularly impressive due to the high functionality and quality of the teaching and learning spaces.

Science Senator Maryam Blumenthal: "Science City is a district where science comes alive: It is a place where the most diverse people come together, learn, work and live together. With the lecture hall center, we are creating one of these meeting places and are delighted that we have found a design that brings together quality of stay, sustainable architecture and excellent teaching under one roof. Students can look forward to an inspiring learning environment in the heart of the campus district. I would like to thank everyone who took part in the competition with so many ideas and designs and congratulate the winning team!"

Prof. Dr. Natalia Filatkina, Vice President for Studies and Teaching at Universität Hamburg: "With the new lecture hall center, we are creating outstanding conditions so that Universität Hamburg, as a university of excellence, can offer studies and teaching at the highest level in Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld . Future generations of science students will benefit from this in particular. Students, teachers and researchers will not only find modern facilities here, but also a place to meet and exchange ideas - a central building block for a lively, open and forward-looking campus and learning culture."

Martin Sowinski, Managing Director of Sprinkenhof GmbH: "As the developer, we are delighted to realize the first building block on the science campus of the future Science City with the winning design. The chosen design represents a triad between architectural quality, fulfillment of the qualitative requirements and economic feasibility. As a municipal partner, we are enthusiastic and motivated to face this and future challenges in terms of the desired further development of Hamburg as a science location."

Franz-Josef Höing, Senior Building Director: "The new lecture hall center will be an inviting, transparent building with a high quality of stay. The design manages to organize the functions of a lecture hall center coherently on the inside in a natural way, to formulate a good address on Luruper Chaussee on the outside and to fit plausibly into the planned urban context of Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld ."

The Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld

Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld is one of Hamburg's largest and most important projects for the future. It brings together top international research and university education with innovative companies, modern urban development and a liveable neighborhood. Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld will be realized on a total of 125 hectares by the 2040s. Partners include the German Electron Synchrotron DESY, European XFEL, Fraunhofer, Max Planck Society, University of Hamburg and many other high-caliber players. At the same time, space is being created for companies in a unique innovation ecosystem as well as new neighborhoods with thousands of affordable apartments. The development is being carried out in close cooperation with stakeholders from science, business, politics and administration.