Formally, the decision of the Hamburg Senate was formalized in the form of the approval of an agreement on the sale and purchase of a plot of land between the HafenCity association, which is engaged in the reconstruction of the entire harbor area, and the Dutch-German consortium, which won the tender for the development of the former industrial zone.
Called the Overseas Quarter, these 8 hectares of diverse buildings will be one of the largest urban development projects in Hamburg. The buildings of such prominent architects as Rem Koolhaas and Erik van Egeraat will appear there. The Science Center, which includes an aquarium and a planetarium, will become the semantic, cultural, and geometric center of the “quarter”. His project belongs to Koolhaas. There will be a permanent scientific and technical exposition on the theme "Water and Sea".
In general, the "Transatlantic Quarter" will cost 800 million euros, its implementation will begin in 2007 and will be completed by 2011. There will be 275,000 sq. m of area - including residential apartments, offices, shops, hotels, restaurants, as well as - a terminal for cruise ships and the Science Center.
Boutiques and cafes will appear along the central street of the new district - Zaokeansky Boulevard.
It was also announced the start of construction in the port of the Concert Hall of the Hamburg Philharmonic under the Herzog & de Meuron project. The $ 186 million building will open in 2009.
