Rooms are part of our DNA

The success story began in a training centre in Rothenburgsort in need of renovation, the first property managed by Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft. Today, it manages spaces all over the city - from exciting off-locations to premium inner-city locations - and is a sought-after expert for urban spaces. Dr Katja Wolframm, Head of Real Estate and Urban Development, has been jointly responsible for this development for a decade.

The development and brokerage of spaces for creative professionals has been a central task of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft since its foundation. What characterises the expertise of the real estate team?

We look at the topic of space from at least two perspectives. From the internal perspective of the creative industries and the associated goal of finding customised workspaces and production locations for the industry's players. And from an external perspective, from which creative locations offer enormous potential for urban development, for a lively city centre and attractive neighbourhoods.

Why is space so essential for creative professionals?

Every industry needs specific spaces to optimise working conditions. In fact, there are space requirements in the creative sector that are not met on the regular property market. This may be because we have very price-sensitive sectors such as the visual or performing arts. Or because several asset classes need to be combined in one use: for example, a design studio that needs a workshop with a ceiling height of four metres for prototypes in addition to traditional office workstations. There is a gap in the market for many of these space requirements.

Can any developments be recognised here?

The gaps and the need for action are shifting. For example, we initially received a lot of enquiries about individual workstations. In recent years, more and more co-working spaces have opened, so there is almost an oversupply. Some space requirements can be covered by the market - for the other part, programmes and business promoters such as the Kreativ Gesellschaft are needed.

Has it become more difficult to develop spaces for the creative industry?

We are indeed seeing a growing interest in creative uses from the real estate industry. Our Frei_Fläche funding programme makes a significant contribution to this because it opens up vacant commercial space for creative interim use and ensures positive experiences. Frei_Fläche is a good interim solution for the transformation of city centres or neighbourhood centres - and specifically combats the negative effects of vacancies. In addition to the retail sector, the coronavirus pandemic is also having an impact on the office market. Landlords and owners are increasingly asking themselves the question: How can I achieve a functioning mix of uses within a property? Creative uses are increasingly part of the answer.

What are the biggest challenges at the moment?

Hamburg is a growing and densely populated city. In addition to price pressure, the availability of space is therefore a major issue. Displacement effects are setting in and certain uses are becoming increasingly difficult to accommodate. We are noticing this particularly strongly in the music industry. Kreativ Gesellschaft is therefore working with the city to secure locations for clubs and develop new venues - for example on the Reeperbahn and in Oberhafen harbour. Institutions such as the Molotow are important for a city: it is also the cultural and creative venues that encourage people to choose the big city rather than the provinces as the centre of their lives. Another challenge is the issue of licences. When creative people and creative businesses move into property, the original usage typologies often no longer fit. Because the same space is not only used for retail or office work, but also for production or events.

You can't solve these issues on your own. How does the collaboration with the city work?

As part of the city of Hamburg, we work very closely with the authorities and other municipal institutions to find solutions. A good example of the courage to experiment is the city centre. On the one hand, by promoting pilot projects that reveal the hidden potential of the city centre. And secondly, with the FABRIC - Future Fashion Lab, which explores the opportunities of urban fashion production.

Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft organises and rents out spaces throughout the city. Which locations stand out in particular?

The Jupiter in Mönckebergstraße is of course a very special project. If only because of the size and architectural challenges of the former department stores', which we opened up for temporary creative use as part of Frei_Fläche. But also because Jupiter has established itself as a creative and open place for urban society as a whole. We take a different but equally exciting approach with creative properties such as the M28 warehouse, where we bring together a cluster of creative companies with a focus on technology.

Finally, an outlook: Which property issues will be of particular interest to the Kreativ Gesellschaft in the coming years?

Securing and creating spaces for creative people remains an important task - and is part of our DNA. Transformation is a central concept that will continue to occupy us in the future: of individual buildings, larger areas or the entire city centre. We see great synergies and potential for strengthening the creative industries, particularly in creative areas, i.e. spatial clusters for the sector. Whether in the Oberhafen harbour, the flood basin in the east of Hamburg or in Diebsteich. The city benefits from offering good working conditions for creative professionals and thus positioning itself as a creative city.