Running in parallel with the Alster’s Tarpenbek tributary, the residential quarter in the north of Hamburg spans a total of ten housing development sites. Formerly Lokstedt freight yard, the approximately twelve-hectare redevelopment site was acquired in 2015 by Hamburg property developer OTTO WULFF. In 2016, work commenced to turn the site into a residential complex. With 940 units ranging from one-room apartments to generously proportioned, rental and owner-occupied units, the complex appeals to both single-person households and people looking for a family home. All residents benefit from the location’s good connections and abundance of local sports and leisure activities. Furthermore, residents can find a whole host of shopping opportunities in Groß Borstel, while destinations such as Eppendorf mill pond, the Alster river or the city park are just a stone’s throw away.
More than just living space
Numerous play areas, open spaces, planted areas and green corridors can also be found inside the residential quarter between the individual construction sites. Berlin-based SWUP GmbH was responsible for planning the extensive outdoor areas and their barrier-free access in line with the respective architectural requirements.
To the east of what will be the quarter’s centrally located park and playground is housing development site 8, where a total of 60 owner-occupied apartments have been built. Each building is made up of four full storeys and a stacked storey. The apartments feature roof-top terraces, protruding balconies or gardens with a view to either the green park or the roughly 1,000m² inner courtyard, the latter serving as an access point.
Aesthetics and function in one
The courtyard catches the eye with its block-paved paths that connect building entrances to individual green spaces. The planners wanted to include several raised beds as planting elements in the outdoor space. It was especially important that the look of the beds fit flawlessly with the overall design of the outdoor area while also forming focal points. Bespoke rectangular and rounded beds made from COR-TEN steel from the company Richard Brink were the obvious choice here. Thanks to their sturdy construction, they are extremely durable and capable of holding the plants and soil for a long time to come.
The metal products manufacturer produced a total of 72m of raised bed walls measuring 415mm high in order to create twelve raised beds. The beds themselves measure two metres long by one metre wide and are used as corner elements in several gardens and lawns. However, it is the four rounded, large-scale raised beds that really steal the show: made from 164m of COR-TEN steel, they have a total wall height of 600mm, 450mm of which are visible. Series of holes found in the walls’ lower 150mm act as concrete anchors that hold the planting systems firmly in their foundation. The concave and convex curves of the custom beds give the planting system an extremely dynamic and vibrant appearance. Moreover, the COR-TEN steel itself creates a stark contrast to the light-coloured paving and brick veneers that frame the building façades.
Besides their aesthetic appeal as green design elements, the raised beds from Richard Brink also invite residents and visitors to relax and enjoy the courtyard. The manufacturer integrated seating areas into the design of the beds and created the necessary substructures. Once the beds were installed, the seats were finished by a joiner on site using robust, weather-resistant robinia. The resulting outdoor furniture features additional supports and wraps around the COR-TEN steel from the seat to the ground with the help of struts. The finished planting systems were able to meet the expectations of the landscape architects in full and reflect the good collaboration between planner and manufacturer: “We are extremely pleased with the products provided by Richard Brink. The customised raised beds are the result of joint planning and consistently competent communication with the metal products manufacturer,” said Martin Steinbrenner, project manager at SWUP GmbH.
High-end and versatile planting systems
In fulfilling the various requirements for the Tarpenbeker Ufer project, Richard Brink GmbH & Co. KG once again demonstrated its desire to work quickly and smoothly in line with the customer’s exact measurements and detailed specifications. When planning and designing modern, functional raised beds, customers can be sure to benefit from the highest quality and a range of options when it comes to materials and aesthetics. The metal products manufacturer makes the planting systems from stainless steel and COR-TEN steel in thicknesses of 3, 4 and 5mm, and even 6mm in aluminium. Single-piece lengths of up to 3m are possible. Systems made from stainless steel or aluminium can be coated in all RAL colours to add colour accents.
The high level of manufacturing quality and dimensional accuracy make for straightforward assembly and a huge time saving, especially for the installers on site. This was certainly appreciated during installation of the raised beds on housing development site 8 of the Tarpenbeker Ufer complex, where all components were assembled with ease: “Construction of the raised beds went to plan thanks to their made-to-measure components. We were really happy with the quality and handling of all the materials and were able to achieve the exact result we wanted,” commented Jan Deters from Hamburg-based Rudolf Schmale Garten- und Landschaftsbau GmbH, which was contracted to assemble the raised beds.
