Where cars used to be parked, vibrant living, working and a diverse togetherness will soon be possible. A stacked urban landscape surrounded by plenty of greenery – all under one roof in the centre of Hamburg’s inner city – is an enormous opportunity with exemplary character! Thus, the repurposing of the multi-storey car park is much more than just the conversion of an existing building, but above all a contemporary expression of social and ecological change. The typology of the traditional Hamburg Kontorhaus with a narrow inner courtyard is taken up and combined with the idea of a vibrant green space that emerges from the building’s interior as a meticulously designed roof and terrace landscape.
The hybrid uses are enveloped by well-proportioned façades, urban and prestigious towards Neue Gröningerstrasse, quoting familiar elements from the existing building and the immediate surroundings, while a completely independent world opens up in the inner courtyard. The open ground floor integrates the public streetscape, welcoming visitors and residents alike. The large, roofed entrance area creates added value for the entire neighbourhood through the variety of possible uses. Access to the apartments is provided via two lateral entrances and the central inner courtyard, where one moves in a circular pattern along spacious arcades, each of which is connected on the narrow sides by lifts and open staircases. The “high point” of Gröninger Hof is the generous roofscape with further communal uses such as a laundry room, sauna and fitness room, and a rooftop garden with a play area and flowerbeds.