Gala Reception
10 June 2026
We look forward to welcoming our invited guests on 10 June 2026.
HCU in Dialogue
11 June 2026 from 10 am
HafenCity Universität is opening its doors and inviting visitors to take a look behind the scenes. The event HCU in Dialogue is being held as part of HCU’s 20th anniversary celebrations and is open to both members of the university community and anyone else interested from outside the university. Under the theme “Interdisciplinary Answers to Global Questions About Our Built Environment”, the event will feature lectures, workshops, hands-on activities, guided tours and an accompanying exhibition with a performance – an ideal opportunity to gain insights into teaching, research and, above all, the people at HCU. We look forward to engaging with you!
An event as part of the Hamburger Architektur Sommers 2026
10:00 | Presentation & Panel Discussion Designing, building, transforming – How can university research and teaching succeed amidst the challenges of sustainability, digitalisation and social change?
11:30 | Installation and performance
10:30-15:00 | Research ship DVocean – Cruises and open ship
11:30-16:30 | Open Information Fair Internationalisation in action – study, exchange & opportunities at HCU
13:00 | Workshop-Session 1 Informationen and Registration
15:00 | Workshop-Session 2 Informationen and Registration
17:00 | Trio from the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, performing works by Beethoven, Mozart and more!
17:30 | Keynote by Prof. Dr. Mike Schlaich: Cape to Cairo in 150 Days – An Engineer’s Experiences
18:00 | Terrace party on the River Elbe
Cape to Cairo in 150 Days – An Engineer’s Experiences
11.06.26 at 17:30 pm
Keynote speech by Prof. Dr Mike Schlaich
To mark the 20th anniversary of HafenCity Universität and its activities in Africa, as well as the 15th anniversary of the town twinning between Hamburg and Dar es Salaam, civil engineer Mike Schlaich – a partner at the engineering firm schlaich bergermann partner and, until last year, a professor at the Technical University of Berlin – will give a lecture.
In his keynote address, “Cape to Cairo in 150 Days – An Engineer’s Experiences”, Mike Schlaich recounts a remarkable journey through twelve countries in southern and eastern Africa. He experienced the continent’s roads, railways and bridges at first hand and visited local universities to gain insights into the culture of Civil Engineering in research, teaching and practice. Using numerous photographs, he explores questions such as: Is there a distinct, country-specific approach to Civil Engineering that addresses regional conditions such as geography, climate, materials and building traditions, whilst also taking rapid population growth into account? How are sustainability challenges being addressed? And is Civil Engineering understood and discussed as an art form – one that creates structurally and technically sophisticated structures?
The lecture will be held in English.
FIRST – From the first stroke to the space
June 2026 (exact dates to follow shortly)
BDA Hamburg Gallery, Shanghaiallee 6, 20457 Hamburg
The exhibition “FIRST – from the first line to space” explores the question: How does architectural thinking begin? To this end, Studio Weinmiller at HafenCity Universität Hamburg (HCU) opens its doors and illustrates the teaching of conceptual design through sketches, models and analyses. In a world shaped by digital algorithms and rapid image production, the studio deliberately focuses on the school of perception: sketching and physical model-making are not seen as relics of the past, but as essential tools for a deep understanding of space, scale and materiality. In this way, an architectural awareness emerges that goes far beyond mere form. The first year of study is more than just an introduction. It is a laboratory of searching, doubting, persevering and discovering. In this process, not only designs take shape, but also attitudes and personalities. The exhibition showcases the students’ journey and, at the same time, invites reflection on the teaching of today and discussion about the teaching of tomorrow.
Eine Ausstellung der HCU Hamburg/Studio Weinmiller
Chair of Entwerfen und Gebäudelehre: Prof. Gesine Weinmiller
Wissenschaftliche Associates: Valentin Goetze, Elisabet Sundin
Students: Nuran Aljadani, Ivana Andricic, Martha Behrens, Isabel Bierwirth, Vanessa Bourjau, Jan Brinker, Muhammed Cavunmirza, Vanessa Ebert, Matti Ellerkamp, Mija Endriuskeviciute, Fatemeh Farahmand, Anna Fruböse, Andrei Graf, Rhahis Habib, Marisa Haupt, Daniel Hazke, Jonas Hillenkötter, Fynn Hoppe, Tony Huege, Elif Karakus, Paula Kersten, Charleen Kewitsch, Rene Knirsch, Klara Kolobaric, Sarah Koßma, Konstantin Krüger, Paula Lochte, Theresa Morgenstern, Dat Tien Nguyen, Anna-Lotte Nienhaus, Lena Noirel, Jan Rackles, Malina Raßfeld, Hana Regjepi, Britta Richter-Becker, Stine Rohwer, Eliah Schaaf, Kseniia Semenova, Samir Shahzad, Sofiya Shulkin, Charlotte Sönnichsen, Sophia Stern, Adrian Taamneh, Hamidreza Tata, Jim Tegtmeyer, Simon Weisphal, Inga Wirlmann, Ada Yilmaz, Alina Zogojewa.
Our following workshops are part of the
Discovery Tour - Urban Sustainability Around the World
29 June 2026, 14:30 - 16:00
HafenCity Universität Hamburg
Discovery Tour – Urban Sustainability Around the World
In this infotainment workshop, we combine UN Sustainable Development Goals No. 11, ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’, and No. 17, ‘Partnerships for the Goals’, with the findings and research results of the SURE – Sustainable Development in Urban Regions project.
We aim to give the citizens of Hamburg and the metropolitan region an insight into the diverse research being carried out on the topic of sustainability. As part of the SURE project, numerous researchers are developing emerging local strategies for implementing sustainability measures in urban regions.
Workshop participants will explore the SURE Atlas, an interactive tool that summarises key information and findings from the SURE projects in a playful and engaging way. In doing so, they will discover connections between Hamburg and cities in South-East Asia, highlighted by the visualisations in the SURE Atlas and the resulting exchange of ideas. In this way, topics such as ecological factors, building resilience to extreme weather conditions and climate change are addressed. This highlights the global dimension and local impact of sustainable development.
The event demonstrates how accessible Hamburg’s public universities are as centres of education and research. At the same time, it highlights the networking of local stakeholders in the field of sustainability.
Digital Tools Showcase: Solutions for Urban Resilience and Recovery
30.06.von 12:00 - 14:00
Hongkongstr. 8, 20457 Hamburg
The Digital Tools Showcase: Solutions for Urban Resilience and Recovery event will bring together key stakeholders to explore UNITAC’s people-centred approach to digital urban transformation, with a focus on initiatives in Namibia, Ukraine, South Africa, and Somalia.
The event will bring together key stakeholders to explore UNITAC’s people-centred approach to digital urban transformation, with a focus on initiatives in Namibia, Ukraine, South Africa, and Somalia. The event will provide a platform to share lessons learned, highlight emerging needs and opportunities, showcase scalable digital innovations, and foster partnerships for future solution development and funding.
Following the presentations, participants will have the opportunity to attend live tool demonstrations to explore UNITAC’s innovative digital solutions and their potential for scaling, and engage in informal networking with peers and experts.
The objectives of the event are to:
- Showcase UNITAC’s digital tools and innovations, highlighting their impact and potential for scaling across diverse regional and urban contexts
- Present lessons learned, emerging needs and opportunities for future digital and data-driven urban solutions Targeted participants
- High-level executives, HSC attendees, Funding bodies, project partners Relation to SDG11 and SDG6
Through the demonstration of mapping and spatial analysis tools, participants learn how spatial data and digital platforms can help cities analyse the urban environment, assess infrastructure conditions, and inform housing, recovery, and urban planning decisions. The event will feature digital platforms that can strengthen municipal service management and improve access to essential services for urban residents.
This event is based on invitation.
Making the construction transition simple
1 July 2026, 10:00 – 13:00
Chamber of Commerce Foyer
Research in dialogue with the city and practice
The construction transition is an urgent task of our time – yet it is rarely put into practice. How do we want to build and live in the future? There are many ideas and solutions, but they often remain at the experimental stage, in the laboratory or in pilot projects. Why does so little of this actually make its way into our cities?
This is precisely where the workshop comes in: it makes the construction transition understandable and tangible.
It showcases projects and initiatives that are exploring new avenues, such as building with mycelium, a fungus-based material that requires few resources. It also looks at how building components can be reused and how new possibilities for vacant buildings can be created.
Participants are not merely listeners, but can get actively involved themselves: through a hands-on mycelium workshop, brief insights into projects and direct dialogue with those involved, a vivid picture emerges of construction practices in transition. Rethinking (new materials and construction methods), re-planning (reusing resources instead of consuming new ones) and repurposing (reimagining existing structures rather than building new ones). In the subsequent discussion, representatives from research, local government and the built environment will discuss: What is still holding back the construction transition today? And what needs to happen for sustainable building to become the norm? The aim of the event is to highlight concrete pathways towards a building culture that conserves resources and makes our cities fit for the future.
The solutions proposed in this session, along with all others from the Sustainability Workshop, will be presented in short summary presentations from 6.00 pm in the Dome on the Zukunftswiese at Rathausmarkt. Please register separately for this session.
HafenCity Universität Hamburg & Frugal Bauen GbR
Cool & Safe Cities: Sicher radeln und grüne Dächer mit KI
29.06. von 16:30 - 17:30
HafenCity Universität Hamburg
How can cities become safer and cooler? We’ll show how AI and 3D city models can help plan safe cycle routes and identify opportunities for green roofs to help cool the city.
The event demonstrates how data-driven methods and AI-supported 3D city models contribute to sustainable transformation, with a focus on safe cycle paths and the reduction of urban heat through green roofs. It is aimed at members of the public, specialists and decision-makers, and highlights how digital tools can improve the urban climate and road safety.
Participants will gain insights into two research areas at HCU Hamburg:
- Safe Cycling: Use of voluntarily collected geodata and OpenStreetMap to develop safe, efficient cycle routes, combined with 3D city models.
- Urban Heat & Green Roofs: AI-supported analysis of roof materials from aerial photographs and simulation of cooling effects through greening or light-coloured roofs to identify suitable areas.
The event is aimed at citizens, students, researchers and stakeholders from Urban Planning, public administration, mobility and climate protection. It will showcase concrete, scientifically grounded solutions for urban heat and sustainable mobility in Hamburg and strengthen the exchange between research and urban society.
Digital & Sustainable
1 July 2026, 10:00 – 13:00
Chamber of Commerce Accelorator 2
Shaping the future through self-organisation and informed action
In this workshop, we link the goals of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs with specific challenges in Hamburg – so that social issues can give rise to solutions that can be implemented locally. Perspectives from urban society meet applied scientific research to develop approaches for a sustainable and equitable (urban) society. We demonstrate in a practical way how urban development can be shaped in a data-driven and democratic manner: processed data highlights conflicting objectives, structures debates on a factual basis and supports the joint search for solutions.
Methodologically, we begin with a concise introduction to digital (VR) tools (Digital City Science, HCU Hamburg) and an application example from the ‘Future of Digital Communication’ working group of the Patriotische Gesellschaft. The focus then shifts to interaction: participants try out the tools and apply them to key questions – e.g. flood resilience in wet winters versus summer water shortages for green infrastructure (SDG 11), sustainable planning despite access barriers for users (SDG 17), or growing infrastructure needs due to climate migration (SDG 16). In addition, they will be introduced to the Impulse Pattern Formulation (IPF) system (developed at the University of Hamburg/Ligeti Centre), which helps predict the impact of measures on various stakeholders. Together, we will develop future scenarios and derive concrete recommendations for action for Hamburg.
The solutions developed in this session, along with all others from the Sustainability Workshop, will be presented in short summary presentations from 6.00 pm in the Dome on the Zukunftswiese at Rathausmarkt. Please register separately for this session.
HafenCity Universität & Patriotische Gesellschaft von 1765
Hamburger Horizonte
A joint event organised by HCU and the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy (IFSH) at the University of Hamburg
The three initiators are united by their commitment to fostering an open dialogue between academia and society. Since 2017, they have therefore been jointly organising “Hamburger Horizonte”, an annual series of events focusing on a variety of topics of particular social relevance.
“Hamburger Horizonte” is jointly funded by the Körber Foundation and the University of Hamburg, which uses funds from the federal and state governments’ Excellence Strategy for this purpose. The aim of the event series is to support the exchange of knowledge with society on current research findings, to promote the visibility and networking of HIAS fellows from Germany and abroad during their stay in Hamburg, and to contribute to the internationalisation of Hamburg as a centre of science. HIAS is funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and Equality of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (BWFG) and by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg as part of the federal and state Excellence Strategy.
Safe and secure with BlueGreen!
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Dickhaut (HCU)
13.11.26 – 17:45 bis 18:45 Uhr
HafenCity Universität Hamburg
How can cities become more climate-resilient, liveable and safe? This event demonstrates how blue-green infrastructure combats flooding and overheating whilst simultaneously improving health, biodiversity and road safety. Practical examples provide fascinating insights into successful solutions.
Blue-green infrastructure refers to the use of green and water spaces to enhance climate resilience in urban areas and is a key element in the climate-change-driven transformation of cities. During the event, we will examine its impact on direct consequences such as flooding and overheating, as well as on indirect aspects such as biodiversity and road safety. At the same time, we will discuss why blue-green infrastructure is also a safety issue – for instance, in terms of human health and cooling, flood protection, biodiversity and road safety. Using successful practical examples, you will gain insights into planning and implementation and discuss current challenges with us.
War and rearmament – ‘Will we ever get out of this?’
Dr. Ulrich Kühn (ISFH)
13.11.26 – 19:00 bis 20:30 Uhr
HafenCity Universität Hamburg
Europe is at war. Germany is building up its military capabilities. But how much is needed to deter Russia; when is enough enough; and are there ways out of this spiral of violence? Ulrich Kühn’s lecture looks back at the experiences of the Cold War and highlights current pathways towards peaceful and secure coexistence.
Europe is at war and Germany is massively rearming. Parts of the German government estimate that Russia could attack as early as 2029. Fear is spreading among large sections of the population. Recent surveys show that support for Ukraine is waning. At the same time, the US under Donald Trump is withdrawing further and further from Europe. Many in Europe are now looking to Germany with concern: Can Berlin guarantee Europe’s security in an increasingly uncertain world, and does it want to? How much is needed to successfully deter Russia? When is enough enough? And is there a way out of this spiral of violence? Dr. Ulrich Kühn’s lecture looks back at the crises and experiences of the Cold War and attempts to identify ways towards peaceful and secure coexistence in the 21st century.
