Tornesch-Ost Community (2008)

Project Data
 
Site Area:   400.000m2
Total GFA:   75.000m2
Location:   Hamburg, Germany
Land Use:   Residential
Features:   Integrated Ecosystem, car-free, multi-generational living clusters 
Scope:   Urban Design Competition Entry
Status:   Planning
 
 
Project Summary
 
Situated about 30mins from Hamburg, the proposed strategy focused around a central public park – a feature the town does not yet have. The green space links in with existing smaller greened pockets and the adjacent meadow landscape and recreation nature reserve. Towards the town side, a series of mixed-use commercial buildings are arranged along a shopping street with retail and offices. Adjacent to the park, a new performance hall animates the park with restaurants and cafes.

The residential area is organized around courtyards. All areas are save to play for children, and the courtyard layout makes it easy to make friends with neighbors and share “looking after children” between families in an informal arrangement. The entire residential area is pedestrianized and bike-priority. The settlement is made of a variety of typologies addressing the forecasted demographic development. Within each cluster, a flexible community business lounge directly addresses the needs of the growing number of home-working Dads and Mums who enjoy being close to the family while looking for a professional studio space and economic synergies developing within the community.

A meandering meadow strip accompanies all streets connecting the residential area and the town, giving it not just a unique spatial feature but also providing a way of linking up public park, private gardens and nearby fields as one integrated ecosystem. These zones will also provide sustainable design features like filtration ponds for storm water treatment and management.