Querbühne Hamburg-Altona

In recent years, the new “Mitte Altona” district has been created on the site of the disused Hamburg Altona goods station. At the heart of the new quarter are two listed goods sheds including a loading yard, which were renovated and converted as part of the quarter’s development and now house a large local shopping center and facilities for everyday needs.

This ensemble includes the so-called Querbühne, a new building with around 4,300 square meters of office space, gastronomic use on the first floor and an underground car park. The Querbühne connects the two historic halls and forms the spatial conclusion of the entire complex.

With its visible reinforced concrete frame construction, beige brick infill and large-format glass surfaces, the transverse stage with its transparent first floor echoes the structural principles of the goods halls and blends in well with its listed surroundings, which are worthy of preservation. Transitions to the school and the small square to the east are strengthened, as is the planned district park to the west of the site.

The entrances to the upper floors are positioned in prominent locations and develop a clear address. The upper floors allow a flexible and variable division into units of different sizes.

They offer space for various uses, including offices and surgeries, but also “urban production” uses.

Facing south, towards the loading yard, the building has three storeys. Together with the east and west halls, it creates a sheltered outdoor space that invites people to linger and whose orientation focuses on the beautiful loading yard and the adjacent halls.

Along the northern boundary of the site, the building has four storeys, while the north-west corner is emphasized and has six storeys.