21 July 2026, by Newsroom editorial office

Photo: UHH/Liesberg

Eva Liesberg

How can a campus become a more open, vibrant, and integral part of the city? The University of Hamburg is addressing this issue at ist Von-Melle-Park and Bundesstraße locations. Eva Liesberg, who heads the Campus Development Office, explains how ideas for the further development of these areas were generated in a collaborative workshop process involving various stakeholders.

This interview is part of the University of Hamburg’s 2025 Annual Report. The full annual report, featuring a wealth of information and fascinating insights, is available to read online or download.

What is the central idea behind the further development of these campus locations?

With the development of Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld, the University is undergoing a transformation that offers an opportunity to rethink the Eimsbüttel campus as well. It is based on a strategy that links sustainability, pluralistic scholarship, and social responsibility. The goal is to strengthen the University’s role as an inclusive part of the city and to help address global challenges such as climate change and digitalization. Research and innovation should become more visible and tangible through knowledge exchange, community engagement, and the promotion of democracy in a neighborhood jointly developed by the city and the University.

At the same time, important urban planning projects—such as the development of major thoroughfares, the construction of the U5 underground line, and the reconstruction of the Bornplatz Synagogue—have a direct impact on the campus premises. We thus see the further development of the Eimsbüttel campus as a way to connect all of these projects.

The concepts were developed in a workshop. How did this differ
from traditional planning?

In traditional planning processes, such as architectural competitions, design firms are given a brief at the outset and work on it largely without the opportunity to consult with others. Competition participants are generally not aware of the other entries. The anonymized entries are reviewed by a jury, which selects a winner. During the workshop, four planning teams worked on their assignments in the same room for three days and were able to consult regularly with the district officials, the relevant municipal authorities, and the University. In the end, changes were suggested and incorporated into the final results. No winner was selected. The results serve as inspiration and a foundation for further development.

Many different stakeholders were involved. How can so many different
perspectives be brought together meaningfully?

In addition to the commissioning parties—the Eimsbüttel district; the Ministries of Urban Development and Housing and of Science, Research and Equality; and the University of Hamburg—other institutions were involved, including the Ministries of Culture and Media, of Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture, of Transport and Mobility Transition, of Economy and Innovation; district administrations; the Hamburger Hochbahn AG; Grindel e.V.; the Jewish Community; the SUB; Studierendenwerk Hamburg; AStA; University Sports; various researchers; and other interest groups.

For years, there has been close cooperation with the relevant stakeholders on the development of the Eimsbüttel campus. Through numerous rounds of consultation, we were able to clarify needs, build trust, and foster a better understanding of different perspectives. Thanks to this preliminary work, constructive solutions to contentious issues were usually found during the workshop process itself. It also helped that everyone knew that the ideas developed in the workshop could be flexible enough to accommodate changes in the upcoming decades.

What specific changes did this open exchange bring about in terms of the results or the approach?

We established a common foundation and vision that allows us to avoid having to revisit every issue from the beginning; instead we can work with the other stakeholders to gradually develop the individual projects. The cross-institutional consensus on campus development provides hope that the coordination processes for future projects will become more streamlined, since everyone was involved before the project began and contributed to setting the objectives. At the same time, the vision connects the individual projects. Synergies can be harnessed to create a cohesive overall picture.

Looking ahead, what tangible changes can students and the city expect in the future?

Students will enjoy a more vibrant, diverse, and sustainable campus area with more green spaces and a better quality of life. This also includes adjacent urban spaces such as the Grindelallee thoroughfare, which will be narrowed to enlarge the pedestrian areas and greenery thanks to the construction of the U5 underground line. The University will gain greater visibility in the urban landscape, and—as part of the twin transformation—the Bundesstraße campus will bridge the gap between the bustling Grindel and Schanzen districts in the long term by ensuring that the area also hosts student housing, cultural activities, cuisine, start-ups, and academia-related companies.