Introduction

As a partner city of Shanghai, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg is the only German city to participate in the EXPO 2010 in Shanghai by contributing a building project of its own. By means of this building, from May 1st to October 31st, Hamburg presents itself in China as an innovative waterfront city well worth living in.

The Hamburg House is the first passive house in China certified according to the German Energy Efficiency Standard and LEED. It complies with the highest current ecological standards and will therefore very likely serve as a model for future ecological building projects worldwide.

The building impressively combines experiences and developments in low-energy building methods with their implementation in Shanghai's exceptional climatic conditions. Within the 4-storey building, visitors are captivated by an interactive exhibition centering on the possibility of sustainable urban lifestyles.

Supporting structure

The building is designed as a reinforced concrete structure, comprising load-bearing walls perforated by windows arranged in irregular patterns as well as composite truss walls to take loads in the building's glazed areas. The façade is non-load-bearing.

The dimensions of the ground plan are approx. 37 m by 14 m, with parts of the building projecting outwards up to 7.5 m in three directions. There are 4 upper floors and one basement floor. Due to the ground conditions on the site, the building is founded on piles approx. 30 m in length.

A combination of external reinforced concrete walls, composite truss walls and a utility core takes wind and earthquake loads and at the same time serves as support for the numerous projections and shear walls. Concrete core activation has been implemented in the ceiling slabs. Above the roof garden, photovoltaic cells fixed on a steel truss system are to serve as a shade.

Services performed

structural design
earthquake engineering
structural fire protection