SAOTA named a winner in Hamburg Neuländer Quarree competition

Cape Town architecture and design firm SAOTA, along with eL Architecture from Cologne and Robertneun Architects from Berlin, have been named the winners of the architectural competition for the new Neuländer Quarree precinct in Hamburg, Germany.

The brief was to provide design concepts for five components of a site of approximately 44,000m² set within the formerly industrial context of Harburg inland port in Hamburg, Germany. The project developer CG Gruppe AG sought outstanding designs that were architecturally, functionally, ecologically and economically mature and aimed at promoting long-term commitment to future residents and users.

Abundance of ideas

SAOTA was announced a winner of the Residential Apartment building A1, a mixed-use building including rental apartments, restaurants and retail. The jury commented that, “SAOTA’s design stood out for its abundance of ideas, its strong interior and exterior reference and orientation to the water.”

“Our approach begins with creating an active streetscape providing rich interactions between the architecture and the site for residents and visitors alike. Combined with an architecture which is dynamic and clearly rooted in the historic context – SAOTA’s design will contribute to the architectural quality and the long-term success and desirability of the development.”

Christoph Gröner, CEO of the CG Gruppe, was impressed by the result: "The jury with senior construction director Mr Höing, top-class trade union members and the CG Groupe as project developer, has created a dynamic competitive situation in which unforeseen results could arise.”

Bold decisions

Franz-Josef Höing, senior building director of the Department for Urban Development and Housing of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, says: "Neumarkt Quarree will be an important activator for the Harburg inland port. A novel approach to house and apartment layouts as well as a contextual architecture are the result of bold decisions made by the client, the jury and political representatives. Neuländer Quarree will make a contribution to the built culture in this city."

The mixed-use development will have 400 apartments, a hotel, offices, retail trade and a technology park. The technology park will create space for offices, businesses, production and crafts. The concept is a net-zero energy complex that combines geothermal energy, wood pellet-fuelled cogeneration plants and photovoltaics. Construction of the project is scheduled for 2020 with planned completion in 2023.