{"id":12368,"date":"2025-09-30T16:00:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T14:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stadtmanufaktur.com\/?post_type=avada_portfolio&p=12368"},"modified":"2026-07-02T13:46:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T11:46:20","slug":"colonnaden-hamburg-pilot-project","status":"publish","type":"avada_portfolio","link":"https:\/\/www.stadtmanufaktur.com\/en\/projekte\/colonnaden-hamburg-pilot-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Colonnaden Hamburg: Pilot project with a signal effect"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Pilot project, sponsored by BSW Hamburg<\/h3><\/div>
Project period: Dec. 2024 – Sept. 2025<\/h5><\/div>
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The project in brief<\/h2><\/div>

From December 2024 to September 2025, Colonnaden Hamburg<\/a> was transformed into a stage for creative neighborhood development:<\/b> a living Advent calendar, an open-air gallery, a large neighborhood picnic under the arcades and Mediterranean greenery enlivened the magnificent boulevard in the heart of Hamburg and invited visitors to experience it.<\/p>\n

The aims of the pilot project were to raise the profile of the neighborhood<\/b> and strengthen the neighborhood community. <\/b>As the initiator of the project, we at Stadtmanufaktur<\/span> were responsible for designing the profile and measures, providing support in operational neighborhood management, stakeholder management and local activation.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Vision<\/span><\/div>

Vision Colonnaden: The Colonnaden BID district (est. 2025) and pilot projects for neighborhood development are shaping the future of the district \u00a9 Zum Felde BID Projektgesellschaft mbH<\/p>\n<\/div>

Task and background<\/h2><\/div>

The Colonnaden are a special place: historically characterized, architecturally striking and atmospherically unique – an elegant alternative to the city’s busier shopping streets and proud owner of “Hamburg’s longest summer terrace”. At the same time, the quarter was heavily affected by lengthy construction sites. The quality of life and visitor frequency, as well as businesses and restaurants, suffered as a result. <\/p>\n

We at Stadtmanufaktur recognized this: It was high time to give “our quarter” back its flair and appeal. <\/b>Thanks to our office location in the middle of the Colonnaden, we experience what moves the neighborhood, its people and guests on a daily basis. We wanted to support and help shape this. <\/p>\n

However, in discussions with the local neighborhood management of the Colonnaden e. V. association, we encountered capacity and funding bottlenecks. Despite the successful launch of the BID Quartier Colonnaden<\/a>, the local interest group’s options for action were limited. At the time, the city center coordination had not planned any projects or measures in the district either. <\/p>\n

Without further ado, we independently<\/b> submitted an application under the \u201cHidden<\/a>Potential\u201d<\/a> <\/span> grant program<\/b>to create a vibrant and resilient Hamburg city centre. <\/span> And it was a success! The grant was approved, and our neighbourhood development<\/a> work could begin. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

Our way of working<\/h2><\/div>

1. define neighborhood profile<\/h3><\/div>

Until the start of the project, no neighborhood profiles existed for Hamburg’s city centre. Although there were certainly approaches among individual stakeholders, there was no individual profile for the Colonnaden as a model for measures and communication.<\/span> <\/p>\n

The first steps in the project were therefore to develop a profile<\/b> derived from the neighborhood’s areas of strength, unique character and target groups. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

We developed creative measures and activation ideas <\/b>based on the newly defined neighborhood profile, which we quickly designed and implemented. It was important that the local stakeholders not only benefited from the neighborhood development, but were also able to actively participate in the individual measures. <\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Neighborhood<\/span><\/div>

Colonnaden Hamburg: neighborhood profile at a glance \u00a9 Stadtmanufaktur GmbH<\/p>\n<\/div>

2. implement measures to profile the neighborhood<\/h3><\/div>

Living Advent Calendar (December 2024)<\/h4><\/div>

From December 1 to 24, 2024, a new “door” was opened every day – i.e. participating traders, restaurateurs or actors from the Colonnaden came to the fore with a special promotion. The spectrum ranged from discount campaigns, small gifts and Christmas snacks to raffles and musical performances. <\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Group<\/span><\/div>

Open-air gallery: “In the light of others” (July – Sept. 2025)<\/h4><\/div>

The funding received was also used to create the “Im Licht der Anderen” open-air gallery <\/b>: an <\/span>interactive, three-part work of art<\/span> measuring a total of 15 meters long and 2 meters high by the <\/span> artist duo Genger & Schroeder <\/b>. artist couple Genger & Schroeder<\/a><\/span>.<\/span> The open-air gallery was opened in July 2025 at Gustav-Mahler-Platz with a vernissage and remained freely accessible for several weeks.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Open-Air<\/span><\/div>

“Im Licht der Anderen” was much more than a work of art – it became an interactive experience and meeting space. The project showed that interactive art in public spaces has great potential: it offers a low-threshold, low-barrier cultural experience, creates new qualities of experience, even in places of transition, and attracts a wide audience. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

Mediterranean night in the Colonnades (July 2025)<\/h4><\/div>

The Mediterranean Night took place as a public neighborhood picnic<\/b>, deliberately organized <\/span>Focusing on small, atmospheric moments and encounters rather than large crowds. You\u2019re invited <\/span>included residents, employees, business owners, and random passersby, as well as <\/span>Tourists. The campaign was promoted through city magazines, posters, flyers, postcards, and e- <\/span>Mailing list.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

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The Mediterranean Night proved to be <\/span>blueprint for a new, neighborhood-driven <\/b>event format <\/b><\/span>and demonstrates that even small, atmospheric events can showcase the versatility of the <\/span> can immediately boost the city centre. Instead of a traditional large-scale event, a <\/span>is testing a low-threshold, neighborhood-based format that unlocks new potential for the city centre <\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n