11.12.2019

Illumination of Speicherstadt goes climate neutral

The Speicherstadt historical warehouse district is one of Hamburg’s best-known attractions and a magnet for both locals and tourists. The illumination that bathes the impressive red-brick buildings in a soft light has been especially popular for nearly 20 years. With the arrival of the new year, this lighting system will switch to renewable energy, making the light art project completely climate neutral.

The illumination of the Speicherstadt historical warehouse district is designed and operated by the Licht-Kunst-Speicherstadt association. “As a non-profit organisation, we have always acted sustainably when implementing the light art project,” says Dr. Roland Lappin, member of the association’s Executive Board. “We started out with lights that had extremely low power consumption. For ten years, we have used energy-efficient, low-maintenance long-lasting LED lights. The switch to green energy is the next logical step and supports the city’s efforts to help the climate,” says Lappin, who is also the CFO, Finance and Real Estate of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA). The company develops the landmarked Speicherstadt historical warehouse district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. HHLA’s careful and sustainable management of the Speicherstadt has transformed it from the world’s biggest warehouse complex into a vibrant urban district.

Some 1,500 lights are installed today on the warehouse blocks and bridges between Oberhafen and Baumwall. At dusk, they transform the area into an illuminated work of art until shortly after midnight. The light art is particularly attractive during the dark months of the year, when the soft, indirect light brings out the historic character of the ensemble of buildings and provides an at-mospheric setting for the neo-Gothic façades.

The Licht-Kunst-Speicherstadt association was established in 2000 by companies and private individuals as part of a joint initiative with the Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg and HHLA. Together with its members, sponsors and partnerships, the association ensures that the Speicherstadt historical warehouse district is a luminous eye-catcher every evening.

Further information about the Licht-Kunst-Speicherstadt association can be found at
www.lichtkunst-speicherstadt.de

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Photo: HHLA / Engel & Gielen

Illumination of World Heritage Site Speicherstadt goes climate neutral.

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