Flexible use, multi-coding and an original colour scheme

Remodelling of Aussenmühle district sports facility into a modern sports park in Hamburg-Harburg 

published in sb magazine 6/2024 

The remodelling of the existing Aussenmühle district sports facility in Hamburg-Harburg into a modern sports park is an outstanding example of combining flexible usage options with an innovative design approach. Kilian + Kollegen Landschaftsarchitekten (landscape architects) have worked closely with the clients and park users to create a facility that breaks down rigid categorisations with overlapping uses, offering a wide range of sports and leisure activities for all generations. In addition, its dedicated colour scheme ensures that the system is not only functional but also aesthetically distinctive.

Point of departure and participation process

The original district sports centre was showing its age and, with its large pitch and old cinder running track, offered only limited scope for use. Furthermore, the sports surfaces were so waterlogged due to the high water table that sports practice became impossible in the period prior to the redesign – resulting in the facility being closed for an extended period.

The City of Hamburg took this as an opportunity to modernise the facility as part of its Active City strategy. The Active City approach aims to promote the awareness of sport and healthy lifestyles in Hamburg. Thanks to a wide range of measures, local people are encouraged to become more active, improve their health and take advantage of various opportunities for exercise in urban settings – so-called ‘activating urban spaces’. Sports facilities play a central role in the Active City strategy, as they form the backbone of the sports infrastructure.