Pilot project in summer 2024
Three weeks, 15 stops at ten different locations and more than 250 discussions with interested residents, employees from the surrounding companies and science and urban development enthusiasts - that was the result of the three-week test run of a mobile information service for Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld in summer 2024.
Moritz Zechel is a student member of the SCG team and took part in the event on a specially designed bike. The SCG explains the idea: "We also want to reach those who don't come to Infocenter at Albert-Einstein-Ring on their own." In particular, the aim was to provide information on the Campus West master plan and the participation event on July 7 for the competitive dialog "Quartiere am Volkspark".
Rainproof mobile
Many passers-by took notice during their lunch break, for example, when he appeared next to a food stall at the weekly market. "An offer like this is very well suited to promoting dialog with citizens," he concludes. Moritz Zechel designed the bike himself, based on an e-cargo bike from the Hamburg cooperative tricargo. It has a box structure on which a map of the entire development area can be seen, including the DESY site, the districts at Volkspark and Innovationspark Altona . Inside, there is not only space for further information material, but even for a chair. "That's how I survived a few heavy rain showers," reports Zechel. Meanwhile, as long as it was dry, he has been busy handing out information on current developments in the project area and flyers, pointing out the free tours through the development areas and answering questions since the premiere on Science City Day on June 1, 2024.
On-site meeting at Ebertplatz
The test run locations included the weekly market in Lurup, the EEZ, Große Bergstraße in Altona, Überseeboulevard in HafenCity, the DESY canteen and the University of Hamburg. One of the last assignments for the time being took Zechel to Ebertplatz, at the entrance to the future Science City, so to speak. Two employees from a nearby office stopped and studied the map with interest. They were particularly interested in Innovationspark Altona . "Buildings and laboratories are being built here to support scientists in founding their own start-ups," explained Moritz Zechel. The Innovationspark Altona forms the northern prelude to Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld and is a key component of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg's innovation strategy.
Curiosity and criticism
"Many people are surprised when they see on the map how much green space there is around the future Science City," says Moritz Zechel. "For example, in a traffic-dominated area like Ebert-Platz, you hardly realize that the trotting track and Volkspark are right next to it on the other side of the street." Overall, passers-by were open-minded and curious. Of course, there were also questions and criticism, for example about the planned relocation of the harness racing track in favor of the neighborhood development. Moritz Zechel fed these impressions and feedback back to the SCG, which is now evaluating the test run and considering the further use of the mobile information service. "Science City is becoming more and more concrete. However, there is still a need for discussion and urban development is a complex process with many participants," says Zechel.
