Building. Building. Building. That's the story of a sustainable, urban future unfolding across HafenCity. Today, 35 cranes punctuate the skyline from Strandkai to the Elbe bridges, marking the district's explosive growth—a number expected to reach 45 by year's end. In 2020, several landmark projects broke ground: the Hannoverscher Bahnhof Documentation Centre, the Oberhafen sports complex, the Baakenhafen primary school, and the first community centres at Grasbrookpark and Lohsepark—each vital to HafenCity's emerging social and cultural identity.

HafenCity is coming alive. Nearly 4,600 residents now call it home, with approximately 2,800 apartments completed and another 1,350 units under construction in 2020. Beyond housing, roughly 930 businesses have already established themselves here.

Yet HafenCity transcends conventional development, emerging as a "laboratory for the future" where buildings push sustainability to exceptional levels. The Moringa project exemplifies this ambition. This 20,000 m² residential landmark, created with kadawittfeldarchitektur, embodies "circular economy" principles—most building materials are designed to be disassembled and recycled. Roofs and façades transform into biodiverse green spaces, matching the footprint of built structures. As a living lung for the city, Moringa generates oxygen while mitigating pollution and urban heat. Three interconnected volumes embrace a verdant central courtyard, creating both shelter and beauty.

Beyond residential space, Moringa integrates co-working areas, a daycare facility, event and exhibition spaces, wellness amenities, and ground-floor dining with terrace access. The parking strategy favours mobility: roughly 70 car spaces (30% dedicated to car-sharing) pair with three times that capacity for bicycles in the underground garage.

www.landmarken-ag.de
www.kadawittfeldarchitektur.de
www.hafencity.com

Photo:

Design: kadawittfeldarchitektur, Visualization: Mohan Karakoc

(From CUBE Hamburg 02|20)