The IBA DOCK in the Müggenburger Zollhafen becomes the new center of the IBA Hamburg GmbH.

The new address of the IBA Hamburg starting
from 1 February 2010:
Am Zollhafen 12
20539 Hamburg

At its interactive, multimedia workshop show “IBA at WORK” in what was the supermarket on Berta-Kröger-Platz, IBA Hamburg presents the themes and objectives of the building exhibition and reveals the current state of progress on IBA projects. Central feature of the show is the 27-square-metre illuminated model of the Elbe islands – the first model displayed for public viewing that focuses on the city south of the Elbe. Opening hours: Tues to Sun: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed on Mondays. Entrance free, guided tours for groups on request.

The Hamburg IBA “Energy Bunker” project is one of the 20 exhibits selected for presentation in the German Pavilion at the 11th Biennale of Architecture in Venice, 14.9 to 23.11.2008. The project, whereby a 2nd World War anti-aircraft bunker is to be converted into a modern utility represents both a model for sustainable climate protection and the core theme of the German Biennale contribution, “Updating Germany. Projects for a better future”.

During its recent budget deliberations the Senate allocated a considerable sum of money for additional infrastructure improvements in connection with the key “Leap across the Elbe” project.

One of Hamburg’s model environmental projects is planned for the southern rim of the 2013 International Garden Show park: climate houses on Haulander Weg. A new neighbourhood with some 700 dwellings – built to the latest standards of climate-friendly construction - is to form the south border of the IGS park. IBA Hamburg’s biggest contiguous residential construction project is also one of the largest environmental settlements in Hamburg.

In Veddel and Wilhelmsburg districts a variety of milieus and cultures rub against each other; a place to view the challenges facing today’s metropolis as if under a burning glass. One of them: to create educational opportunities that give everyone living here a future. IBA’s response to this challenge is to launch an education drive.

The new canal “from town hall to town hall” (see IBA BLICK 02/2007) will create a navigable waterway connecting Wilhelmsburg with the city centre. To create a new “blue backbone” for the district, the Assmann canal and the Rathauswettern canal will need redeveloping. By the time the International Garden Show opens in 2013 it is planned to be able to travel by launch from downtown Jungfernstieg to New Wilhelmsburg Central and the IGS park.

Some 60 projects at more than 40 event venues over a period of four months: in its inaugural year, 2007, the IBA Summer of Arts and Culture introduced the International Building Exhibition presentation area to a wide public. The many different events featuring artists’ personal interpretations shed many new lights on the Elbe island and revealed the creative riches hidden in the part of the city stretching from Veddel to Wilhelmsburg and Harburg upriver port. The Arts and Culture programme is to continue in coming years and act as a cornerstone to build a creative milieu on the Elbe islands. One important aspect will be to develop creative, immigrant economies.

The “Highflyer” hot-air balloon outside Deichtorhallen gallery is not only a big tourist attraction. The view from its basket 150 metres up takes in the town centre, HafenCity and much of the IBA area. Since the summer of 2007 the tethered balloon has advertised the “Leap across the Elbe”, its outer skin covered by a 12-metre-high pointer to IBA Hamburg, the world’s largest balloon-mounted banner.
Other IBA Hamburg activities and promotions also focus on making the rest of Hamburg more aware of the Elbe islands. In fact their image problem is one of the biggest difficulties facing districts south of the Elbe – plus the fact that these parts barely figure on the average Hamburg resident’s radar. IBA is out to change that.

“It’s peaceful by the pond. Hardly anyone out walking, sometimes a few young people sitting on the benches. You only see little houses and lots of trees. No highrises, no cars, not like so much of Wilhelmsburg. I live in an eight-story house myself. But this pond here .. not that we dangle our feet in the water though. We don’t go until eight in the evening, because it’s so much nicer then. ‘Specially if you can see a few stars.”