Scientific Center in Hamburg by OMA

The internet portal Eikongraphia yesterday published images of the new scientific center in Hamburg by the Rotterdam office of Rema Koolhaas. The project looks like a sliced amethyst. Since Koolhaas despises the straightforward use of iconography in architectural designs, the analogy with an amethyst is most likely unconscious. Inside the scientific center, there will be an aquarium, a theater, and likely also a planetarium, covering an area of 14,000 m².
The scientific center is part of the newly emerging district Überseequartier in Hamburg's HafenCity, where large investors from across Europe are developing their projects. Überseequartier, on an area of 8.5 hectares, will present ten different projects totaling sixteen buildings, with a total value of around 800 million euros. A total of 45 architectural firms from Germany and European countries participated in the processing of this project. An independent jury composed of experts, city representatives, and investors then awarded 17 of these works.
Construction is expected to begin in the first half of 2007, and all 16 buildings with a total area of 275,000 m² should be completed by 2011.

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