Integrated teaching environment set to foster innovation in new science city

The proposal by Tenderstream member Schmidt Hammer Lassen with DFZ Architekten for the Bahrenfeld Learning Centre in Hamburg has been awarded first prize in a two-stage architectural competition. The centre is intended to be a modern learning environment for Hamburg University’s 5,500 students in Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld, with space for students and teachers, but also for the local population.

The science centre is one of the city’s largest future projects, set to be built on a total of 125 ha by the 2040s. Partners include the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, European XFEL, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the Max Planck Society, and the University of Hamburg. Space will be created for companies in a unique innovation ecosystem, alongside new neighbourhoods with thousands of affordable apartments. 

At the heart of the winning proposal for the learning centre is the creation of a learning landscape that unfolds as a unifying continuum between the three existing buildings. The interstitial spaces create a multi-layered, vertically connected sequence of rooms, transforming the entire complex into a cohesive whole. Above, the structure is crowned by an expansive studio offering far-reaching views across Hamburg. The new programme is integrated into the existing building structure, accommodating both space for quiet study and reflection as well as open areas for learning, communication, and social interaction. Together, they create a diverse environment that supports different forms of teaching, exchange, and creative interaction.

Maryam Blumenthal, Senator for Science, Research and Equality, stated: "Scientific excellence is not only a question of research, but also a question of knowledge transfer. The Learning Centre stands for exactly this and follows the basic idea of the Science City. Innovative ideas arise through direct exchange, networking and the opening of science to urban society. The winning design of the architectural competition also reflects this idea structurally. I congratulate the winning team very warmly!"

Lucy Nordberg
Tenderstream Head of Research

This tender was first published by Tenderstream on 1706.2025 here

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