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Elbe Philharmonic by Herzog + de Meuron
Posted: August 23, 2007

Herzog + de Meuron are having a really good year. As of now, the Swiss architects have 7 major projects going on, including the Portsmouth Football Stadium and that little Chinese project …
But I think I’m most excited about the Elbe Philharmonic in Hamburg, Germany. The 1.3 million-square-foot building is a part of plan by city officials to move the harbor cities center by 40 percent. This is part of a grander scheme to allow for 5,500 new apartments as well as new business and retail spaces, a new school, a maritime museum AND a new aquarium. Phew.

The hall is being built in and on top of an old cocoa bean warehouse, where it will be over 360 feet tall at points. I love the fact that they’re using this old building, and giving it a new life. I’m so sick of America and it’s desire to live in cookie cutter houses. Why don’t we fix what we have already and make it amazing?
Thankfully, Herzog + de Meuron have 3 other projects going on in the U.S., they know we need some improvements as well.

Bobby