Hamburg, Germany - The City of Effective Design Solutions
Our first stop was in Hamburg, Germany. Our ship docked away from the center, so we couldn't see much of the city from the boat. The benefit of this though was that our shuttle bus drove past much of the city's new infrastructure with our tour guide providing detailed information on the buildings as we past them. Being an inland Port city much of the new infrastructure is being built on flat planes close to the riverbanks. In most city's this is avoided due to the risk of flooding. However, in Hamburg rather than avoiding the problem its tackled head on.
Much like London, the city has dikes and barriers to prevent potential flooding. But beyond that the urban architecture itself is designed with flooding in mind. You won't find any new buildings with living or work space on the bottom two floors. Instead this space is used for reception areas, car parks and garages with all essential floors being higher up. Further more, these lower floors are designed to act similarly to watertight compartments on ships. With garage doors and entrances doubled as watertight air locks preventing further flooding damage in the city. Channels, canals and underground tunnels further bolster the city's defense and prevention against flooding. This attention to detail and building up of fail safes reflects how quality design is highly regarded in Germany, creating an effective and fool proof solution for years to come.
Obviously this level of design takes time and significant funds. All of which is provided by the city's port, the 3rd largest in Europe and run by the state. The benefit of having to design buildings from scratch in these unique circumstances is that architects and urban planners have a blank canvas to design from. Resulting in some fantastic architecture and urban design
Rotterdam, The Netherlands - Creating an Urban Paradise from a City in Ruins
Unfortunately much of the great design that can be found in Europe's City Centers is due to the devastating results of World War Two. Rotterdam, our second stop, was no different. In the early stages of the war the city was bombed into submission by the Luftwaffle, flattening the entire city center. Residents felt that their city had lost its heart, as is shown in a statue that can be found near the old docks in remembrance of those lost during that time.
However, locals didn't see the devastation of the city as the end. Rather they saw it as an opportunity to create something better. Solving issues the old industrial pre-war city had, in overcrowding, tight streets and derelict infrastructure. They planned to make a city for the future and one that would stand the test of time.
This aim continues to this day and can be seen through the cities architecture. Planners allow designers creative freedom regarding the style and build of new structures in the city, making for a unique skyline. Again, like London, Rotterdam is built on a soft clay meaning skyscrapers and larger buildings require serious foundations to remain stable. This also limits the footprint of buildings in the city, making new structures thin, tall, and adding additional challenges for architects to overcome.
Bicycles are famously a large part of Dutch culture, and this is shown through Rotterdam’s road networks. All main roads in the city have secondary roads for bicycles and small motor bikes with their own crossings and junctions. A far cry from the tokenistic, empty cycle lanes of the UK. This investment in a greener way to navigate the city reflects the forward-thinking nature of urban planners across the continent, thinking of both the future and its citizens unique needs.
Spacing and flow is another key part of Rotterdam’s design, taking in the needs of a modern city and adapting the urban plan to meet them. Walking through the city you don’t feel like you are in its center. Everything is open, with greenery, parks and leisure facilities around every corner. This way of designing makes all streets feel open and bright rather than oppressive and cramped. An added benefit of this is that most streets are well lit with no dark alleys or shady areas. Rotterdam boasts some of the lowest crime rates in Europe, yet you won’t seem a strong police presence in the city. Instead, this open plan design means there are few areas where a crime can be committed, reducing the number of offenses and the requirement for on the street officers.
The Delft and The Hague – An Artists Inspiration
The city structure of the Netherlands is interesting to say the least. 40% of the country’s population lives 20% of its land, requiring unique transport solutions to handle the sheer amount of population. This does result in some serious traffic jams, but with so many people living in such a small space it means spending wise the country can focus its funding on key areas. All roads within these boroughs are well built with fantastic drainage, making for less road works and overall transport spending.
Drainage is key part of the infrastructure in the Netherlands. Like Germany much of the country is either on or below sea level making flooding a serious issue. However, on traveling around the country you’ll see various Dikes, Rivers, Lakes, and Canals built to manage the issue. All of which are made to be part of the landscape and provide something for the community. Lakes are used for fishing, rivers developed with pathways, bridges, and parks. The Canals form a key part of each towns structure and aesthetic.
Interestingly the Delft abundant with small canals. However, unlike other European towns these were never used for transport around the city, they are purely for water management and aesthetic. You won’t see any docks or mooring points around the town and none of the bridges are tall enough to allow for boats passage. The drainage solution forms part of the town rather than just a drainage area. This is something we can do more of in the UK especially in our parks and play spaces. Use of SUD’s and re-wilding in drainage are a staple in the Netherlands and there’s no reason we can’t do the same.
Conclusion
Overall, beyond seeing a range of cultures, Christmas markets and the Arts of Rembrandt and Vermeer my main take away from this cruise is how these cities have been built. How Europe’s approach to Design can be and should be a great influence on how we build in the UK. This trip has opened my eyes to what’s possible when budgets, briefs and aims align and designers are allowed to produce creative/effective solutions.