Reblogging my post from unconsumption:
Elbphilharmonie is Herzog & de Meuron’s new glass structure atop a red brick warehouse built in 1963 by the late Hamburg architect Werner Kallmorgen.
[This post is an atypical one in the Unconsumption mix … ]
The adaptive reuse of a formerly abandoned warehouse in Hamburg, Germany, strikes me as a prime example of civic unconsumption — at a sizeable scale. Kudos to the architects, engineers, and other project partners for finding an innovative way to preserve an existing building.
The mixed-use development features a public plaza, three performance spaces (including a 2,150-seat concert hall), a hotel, restaurants, condominiums, and space for parking.
The project, slated for completion in 2012, is a component of the master plan to redevelop and revitalize Hamburg’s HafenCity (inner city) area; it’s expected to draw thousands of visitors each year to the River Elbe waterfront.
Additional information (13 pages’ worth) here, and recent travel-focused story from The New York Times.
From a performance perspective, the design of the concert hall is unique: its bowl-shaped configuration places the “stage” area – the orchestra and conductor – in the center of the audience.
So many reasons to like this project.