Kontorhaus District, Commercial architecture district in Altstadt, Germany
The Kontorhaus District is an office quarter in Hamburg's Altstadt made up of large brick and concrete structures. The buildings were constructed between 1920 and 1950 and display expressionist forms with characteristic rooflines.
After the cholera outbreak of 1892, city planners redesigned this area and wanted to create a modern commercial quarter. Urban renewal at that time combined cutting-edge construction with forward-thinking office spaces.
The buildings shape the streetscape through distinctive forms that echo ships and harbor imagery. Visitors see in the architecture how the city's identity connects to trade and seafaring.
The quarter sits between Steinstrasse and Messberg and has good public transport links. Visitors find plenty of walking routes that make it easy to view all the buildings.
Many roofs are covered with copper and gleam greenish when light hits them. These details give the quarter a distinctive look and only become apparent upon close inspection.
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