Nature or housing? This was a central question in the eighth lecture of the ReHousIn Lecture Series on Hamburg. The lecture follows the development of housing in Hamburg after a severe flooding event.
This lecture from HAW Hamburg was delivered by Simon Günter and details an interesting case study in the Wilhelmsburg area of Hamburg and its relationship to housing since the 1960’s. A key event occurred in 1962, and unpredicted flood which sent all of Wilhelmsburg underwater. The flood was such a traumatic occurence that a ban on building new housing went into effect for several years. Once it was allowed to rebuild in the area, Wilhelmsburg developed a distinct and negative reputation. Over the years political conflicts arose over the urban planning of the neighbourhood. As a response urban regeneration programmes arose.
A new start in Wilhelmsburg
In the 2000s Wilhelmsburg was an area considered for the Olympics. Given its waterfront characteristics, the area eventually became of interest to investors. This resulted into tensions as some saw the new development plans as a form of gentrification. In 2017 there was a housing planning concept in development with a more participatory and open-space planning approach. The concept used a diverse mix of residential, commercial and recreational uses. Some were in favour since there was a need for new housing. Others were highly against the development since it would reduce a beloved forest area in the neighbourhood.
You can watch the lecture to learn more about this case, which demonstrates the delicate balance between addressing housing scarcity and maintaining wild urban areas.
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