URBAN  LANDSCAPE MONOGRAPHS: Hamburg. Characteristics and Planning Approaches  

Outline   

0.  Preface  

1.  Introduction/ Background  

a.  Statistics  5

b.  Natural landscape of the region  5

c.  Geographic data  6

d.Social  structure  8

e.  Culture.  8

f.  Perception of urban open space.  9

g.  Conclusions.  9

2.  Structure of urban open structure  

a.  Introduction: Historical aspects of the city development.  9

b.  Urban development: The formation of the urban open structure.  13

c.  Open space pattern.  13

d.  The size of the urban open green spaces.  15

e.  The protected natural and semi-natural areas.  15

f.  Quality of the present green structure.  17

g.  Conclusions.  17

3.  Components of the urban open space system  

a.  Introduction: Simplified typology of the open space structure.  18

b.  Parks in metropolitan scale, in district area and in local neighbourhood.  18

c.  Squares.  20

d.  Playgrounds and sport facilities.  21

e.  Cemeteries.  21

f.  Streets.  22

g.  Private open spaces, The private domestic gardens.  22

h.  Industrial sites  22

i.  External spaces associated with public buildings  23

j.  Allotment gardens.  23

k.  Canal and river corridors.  24

l.  Lakes and other water bodies.  25

m.  Waterfronts.  25

n.  Trade fair sites.  26

o.  Urban forests and agriculture land.  26

p.  Pedestrian network.  26

q.  Network of cycle ways  26

r.  Conclusions.  27

4.  Functions of the urban landscape  

a.  Introduction: Use of use of open spaces within urban landscape.  27

b.  Present activities.  27

c.  The open space of streams.  28

d.  The open space of defence works.  29

e.Conclusions.   30

2

URBAN LANDSCAPE MONOGRAPHS: Hamburg. Characteristics and Planning Approaches

1. Introduction/ Background

1. Introduction/ Background

a. Statistics

The city and federal state of Hamburg is one of 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. The city is ruled by a democratic parliament of 121 members, the mayor, mayors office and ten public authorities. One of them is the board of urban development and environment. Hamburg has seven districts. Every authority has special departments for urban planning, green structure, social belongings, youth and health as well on state as on district level. Furthermore every district has its own parliament with 41 members each. Decisions can be made by the districts boards or the smaller municipal district board.

Hamburg had 1.7 million inhabitants in 2003. ¹ Almost 15% were (2003) of non German descendent. ² The immigration rate is nearly 9.000 per year. ³ On one hand, Hamburg with its port always was a centre of commerce and nowadays even has a big amount of media industries and head offices of international companies. 4

On the other side Hamburg has a rate of 11.3% of unemployment. ⁵ Tourism is an important market segment; almost 3.0 million guests visited the city during the year 2003. The majority were from other parts of Germany, only 500.000 visitors came from international destinations. ⁶ The seaport industry reached a peak level ever with 95.1% of international container cargo. 7

Statistik data of Hamburg (Source: Statistisches Amt für Hamburg und Schleswig-Holstein (Hg.); 2004)

b. Natural landscape of the region

Hamburg, as a city in the northern flatlands of Germany, has atypical differences in ground levels (ca. 100 meters). This depends on ice-aged moraines north and south of the “River Elbe”. The riverbed with its corrosion formed steep banks. Most of the dwellings are on sandy and clayey soil. Erosion formed river beds e.g. the “Wandse” (see 3i.). The “Elbe valley” belongs to the estuary of the River Elbe. 8

URBAN LANDSCAPE MONOGRAPHS: Hamburg. Characteristics and Planning Approaches

c. Geographic data

Hamburg is situated on the river Elbe in the north of the Federal Republic of Germany. It is stretched over a total of 755.3 km2 to all sides of the river. The water areas cover 8%. ⁹ It is the second largest city of Germany behind the capital Berlin. The surface is mainly flat land but inside the whole area the ground level varies from -5 to 93 above sea level. 10

The city boundery of Hamburg (Appelhans/ Schreiner; 2004)

For economic and cultural reasons, Hamburg is important for the whole northern part of Germany and the centre of the “Metropol Region Hamburg” (MRH) which is a planning compound and consists of the states of Hamburg, Schleswig/ Holstein and Lower Saxony. 3.5 million Inhabitants live in this region.

Metropolregion Hamburg (S. Schreiner)

The dwelling space for each person living inside the city area is 30 squaremeter which is, compared to other big cities worldwide, the highest value. 14% of the urban area is green and leisure space. 2485 bridges form the character of the inner city with a huge amount of river arms and waterfronts. While the inner city districts are densely populated the outskirts are formed by urban sprawl. Parks and water areas influence the city persistent. 11

View of Hamburg (S. Schreiner)

URBAN LANDSCAPE MONOGRAPHS: Hamburg. Characteristics and Planning Approaches

d. Social structure

Hamburg has a high percentage on old and young people as well as on unemployment.

The Graphic below shows the age structure in Hamburg per 31.12.2003. There is a high amount of the group of 20 to 45 years old persons as well as elderly from 60 years on.

The single rate is with 45.5% higher than the amounts on married or widowed inhabitants.

The income determines the possibilities of participation on social life. The unemployment rate per 2003 is 11.2% in total. Divided into sex and ethnic groups, it shows an amount of 13% male, 9.2% female and 20.1% migrant’s unemployment. 12

Age structure of Hamburg, 31.12.2003 (Statistisches Amt für Hamburg und Schleswig- Holstein (Hg.); 2004, p.12)