The architectural firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has won an architectural qualification process for the new Hamburg opera house in HafenCity with a spectacular design. A jury consisting of representatives from the city, the Kühne Foundation, and external experts unanimously voted in favor of the design in November. The design envisions an outstanding opera house with an inviting, accessible roof landscape that opens up on all sides to the Elbe River and the city. The winning design will now be finalized over the next two years in close consultation with the foundation, the city, and the Hamburg State Opera as the future user. At the end of this extended preliminary planning phase and a reliable cost estimate, the Kühne Foundation will make a final decision on the realization of the new building. The planned location is the Baakenhöft site in HafenCity, directly on the Elbe.
Bjarke Ingels Group wins qualification process
Based on preliminary theater planning, the architectural qualification process was carried out by Hamburgische Staatsoper Projekt GmbH. The jury attested that the design by the Bjarke Ingels Group team was a well-considered concept and a convincing urban planning approach. It was described as a “successful symbiosis of good conditions for an opera house and an exciting landmark for all Hamburg residents.” The generous roof overhangs of the façade, which result in a cascade of elegant balconies, were praised as a special feature: “In effect, a spiral of roof gardens is created, planted with native trees, bushes, and grasses and made available to the public as a place to relax. This allows visitors to walk completely around the opera house and enjoy views of the city, HafenCity, and the harbor. “ The design becomes particularly iconic at night, when its sprawling ”leaves” are illuminated from below, resembling a blossoming flower.
