The City of Hamburg is expanding its infrastructure with a central element: the Alster-Bille-Elbe Green Corridor, which is intended to enable a direct connection between the Hammerbrook and Rothenburgsort districts and the inner-city parklands. A crucial component of this development is the planned bridge over the Bille; this is to connect the PARKS site at the flood basin with the Neuer Huckepackbahnhof (New Intermodal Terminal). This connection is not only relevant for sustainable pedestrian and cyclist mobility but also pivotal for urban development in the Billebogen area.
The design competition for this construction project has now been concluded. The concept submitted by knippershelbig GmbH in collaboration with DKFS Architects PartGmbB was selected as the winning design. The design proposes a hybrid timber construction, a method of construction that is to be used for the first time in Hamburg. The competition was organised by Billebogen Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG (BBEG) on behalf of the Authority for Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture, which is acting as the client.
Details on planning and architectural execution
Further detailed planning and the construction of the bridge will be the responsibility of Landesbetrieb Straßen, Brücken und Gewässer (State Authority for Roads, Bridges and Waterways). The anticipated start of construction is scheduled for 2028. Katharina Fegebank, Senator for Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture, emphasised that the Alster-Bille-Elbe Green Corridor will create a continuous green axis from the Outer Alster to Entenwerder, and the bridge represents a crucial puzzle piece. The selected design fits perfectly with this project, and the first-time application of a sustainable hybrid timber construction is pleasing, as it combines modern urban development, pedestrian and cycle traffic, and sustainable, innovative architecture.
Franz Josef-Höing, Chief Planning Officer at the Authority for Urban Development and Housing, highlighted that the winning design envisages an elegant timber bridge. With its curved form, it harmoniously integrates into the landscape while simultaneously creating a distinctive element in the cityscape. The design is convincing due to its combination of aesthetic quality with a responsible approach to resources and durable construction.
Significance for urban development and regional connectivity
Ralf Neubauer, Head of the Hamburg-Mitte District Office, pointed out that the Alster-Bille-Elbe Green Corridor will create new connections over a length of four kilometres between St. Georg, Hammerbrook, and Rothenburgsort. It will open up new routes, open spaces, and water access, particularly in the emerging new districts. The Bille bridge is a decisive building block in this regard, as it will bring districts closer together and enable direct routes where detours are currently necessary.
Dr. Andreas Kleinau, Chairman of the Management Board of Billebogen Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, underscored that the Neuer Huckepackbahnhof district will act as a driving force for the Billebogen and the surrounding urban areas. The tender for a sports and event hall, as well as the planning of the bridge over the Bille, will make the neighbourhoods attractive and highlight their location qualities: a central location, good accessibility, and integration into an urban park landscape offer a combination that is unique for commercial settlements in Hamburg. Dirk Krolikowski from DKFS Architects PartGmbB stated that the design power of the bridge will be unleashed through the sustainable and innovative use of materials, as well as an elegant form that develops from the manufacturing logic of a modern, integral hybrid timber bridge.
