"Lebendige Stadt" Foundation
Successful project: Illumination of Hamburg‘s “Speicherstadt” warehouse district


Invitation to a mould-breaking forum for the exchange of know-how

Every evening after the sun goes down, the “Speicherstadt” is transformed into an illuminated work of art. 830 lamps create a romantic, nostalgic atmosphere in the old warehouse district, showing gables, towers, buttresses, bridges and recessed windows in a new light. One year ago, Michael Batz, Director of Hamburg‘s “Speicherstadt Theatre”, the Hamburger Hafen- und Lagerhaus AG (HHLA) company, and the “Lebendige Stadt” Foundation collected over one million deutschmarks for the project. As a result, the illuminated “Speicherstadt” district has become a destination for tourists and a central attraction in the HafenCity quarter. Yesterday evening, 100 guests – including Mayors from around 20 German cities as well as representatives of the worlds of business and culture from all over Germany – followed an invitation of the Foundation and met at the Sandtorkai quay to exchange ideas and information. During a motor boat trip through the historic setting, project initiator Michael Batz (photo: extreme left), Jochen M. Franke (Chairman of the Light division at Philips GmbH), and Foundation Executive Committee Chairman Andreas Mattner (4th from l.) explained the civic planning and artistic concept as well as aspects relating to building conservation and the technology used. Economic Affairs Senator Gunnar Uldall (3rd from l.) emphasised the importance of the HafenCity port quarter for tourism. “Our aim is to bring the various groups in society together and generate stimuli for further urban projects that help to make the cities more lively and more liveable”, said Alexander Otto (photo: 5th from l.), the Chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

Among the guests in the “Speicherstadt”: Thomas Beyer (Deputy Mayor of Wismar), Ullrich Eidenmüller (Mayor of Karlsruhe), Hans-Jürgen Fip (Lord Mayor of Osnabrück), Lothar Quast (Mayor of Mannheim), Bernhard Neisener (Mayor of Cottbus) and Christoph Schwind (Mayor of Jena).(bom)

Hamburger Abendblatt, April 5, 2002