Urban Shopping at Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier

13 buildings, 419,000 m² total area, of which around 100,000 m² is total rental space: The Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier is a project of superlatives. The planning and coordination of the mixed-use project with shopping, residential, working, and leisure spaces was quite challenging due to numerous functional, technical, and architectural interfaces. As chief architect, Marek Borkowski and his team from ATP Krakow orchestrated the development process of the urban quarter for seven years. With retail expertise and integrated design experience, ATP acted as the main coordinator of individual sub-projects, overseen by an international collective of over 30 architecture and specialist planning offices. Overall, ATP was responsible for the BIM-based planning coordination, the execution planning of individual areas, and the interior design of the 100,000 m² rental area.

Built on trust
“When Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield commissioned us in 2018 to coordinate the large-scale project Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier, we knew: This task would be special. Particularly exciting and challenging,” recounts Marek Borkowski. The appointment for the managing director of ATP Krakow (formerly IMB Asymetria, part of the ATP Group since 2023) was not coincidental, but a continuation of a proven collaboration: Unibail-Rodamco had already been convinced of their expertise in the retail sector during the Wroclavia Shopping Center in Wroclaw – with a concept that combines the highest design and technical quality with a clear reference to the urban context. The commercial part of “Wroclavia” received the BREEAM certification with the rating of “Excellent” during the planning and construction phases. The project also received the awards “Best Retail Architecture Europe” and “Best International Retail Architecture 2018–2019.”

Another project where Unibail-Rodamco relied on ATP's retail expertise was the revitalization of the Shopping City Süd in Vösendorf near Vienna – Austria's largest shopping center. As part of the general renovation, the extensive complex from 1975, along with several renovations and additions, underwent not only a comprehensive technical renewal but also was aesthetically enhanced with a coherent overall concept.

Both success stories formed the basis of mutual trust for the renewed collaboration on the Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier.

Integrated Planning Experience & Digital Precision
As chief architects and planners, ATP acted in a fiduciary capacity for the principal. Managing a mixed-use project of this scale – with up to 60 architects in the peak phase – is like operating a precise clockwork where every gear must mesh smoothly with the next. Coordinating the efforts of more than 30 international design offices involved in this project meant countless functional, technical, and architectural interfaces. The challenge was to translate this diversity into a common architectural language – with clear responsibilities, thoughtful structure, and functional collaboration.
Although the buildings in the neighborhood were not originally planned integrally, after taking over the project, we used our experience as Integrated Planners to systematically break down interfaces. A central control tool came into play as a game-changer: Building Information Modeling (BIM), a model-based, digital work method, successfully coordinated the efforts of numerous planning participants.

We are BIM pioneers in the German-speaking region and successfully utilized the methodology for interdisciplinary teamwork, among other things, to save time and resources, identify potential weaknesses early, and be able to react immediately to changes. The result is a consistent, coordinated process, clear agreements on work processes and responsibilities, and transparent communication with decisions in the best interest of the project as a whole.

Vibrant Neighborhood Development
The concept of the Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier does not envision a self-contained building type for retail. Instead, commercial spaces - in combination with attractive public areas - run through the neighborhood between the Elbe River and the city center as integral components. They are intended to attract residents, tourists, and working professionals alike. Moreover, the residential and office buildings that have emerged in recent years in isolated zones within the industrial port area are to be revitalized as well. As part of a bigger picture, commercial spaces contribute to the economic, environmental, and socially sustainable performance of the neighborhood.

With a high-quality overall concept featuring retail, gastronomy, hospitality, offices, its own subway station, and cruise terminal, as well as attractive open spaces including waterfront areas, the Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier plays a key role in the development of the city of Hamburg.

Core Competence Retail Properties
ATP has more than 30 years of experience with complex retail properties in urban contexts. With specialized expertise in the functionality of attractive and ecologically innovative designs, as well as comprehensive supervision of retail projects, we support clients in DACH and CEE with new construction, renovation, refurbishment, or transition and NewLife, from landmark projects to comprehensive neighborhood solutions.

Among the many successful retail properties, the ATRIO in Villach attracted special attention in 2008 when its urban organized mall was crowned by the international ICSC as the best and most sustainable center in the world. Following this, other centers with urban concepts were awarded, including the G3 Shopping Resort Gerasdorf – Austria's first “Eco Shopping Center” – and the shopping and neighborhood center ALEJA in Ljubljana, which received the ICONIC AWARD, the Global RLI Award, and the Design and Development Award.

The consistent concept of the Westfield Hamburg Überseequartier, in which shopping is staged as an urban experience, serves as a model for all municipalities looking to bring commerce from greenfield sites back to city centers – thus revitalizing them.