Establishing new foundations at the Elbbrücken
A look back on 2022
The Elbtower will be Hamburg’s new landmark. In 2022, the excavation pit was created over an area of around 21,000 square metres – which is about the size of three football pitches – and from which the impressive building will rise in 2023. Here is an overview of the past year’s most important construction stages.
January: Sealing and diaphragm walls, as well as 65 pile foundations, are manufactured at the construction site. SIGNA had already begun preparing the construction ground at the end of 2021 based on a partial building permit. This work continues well into 2022.
March: All planning approvals are obtained. At the beginning of March, the Authority for Urban Development and Housing of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg issues the overarching building permit for the Elbtower.
April: SIGNA opts for Schindler lift technology for mobility in the future building. Up to 3,000 people will be moving through the Elbtower every day. High-tech lift cabs and AI-supported controls ensure smooth transportation.
Working on the Excavation Pit
May: Construction workers complete important civil engineering work as well as the enclosure of the excavation pit. Walls made of steel and special concrete are sunk deep into the ground and now protect the excavation pit against groundwater and water from the Elbe River. The massive anchorages of the future tower are also firmly embedded in the ground. They reach a depth of up to 75 metres.
August: This summer it’s all about digging. Digging is completed on the excavation pit, up to 10 metres deep. Afterwards, around 130,000 cubic metres of earth are removed.
September: For the first time, Hamburg residents can get an on-site impression of the construction project. The “HafenCity InSights” event is an open day at all the major construction sites in the new district. The crowds are huge – hundreds of visitors take the opportunity to have a look at the Elbtower construction site.
Construction of the Tower can beginn
November: SIGNA submits proof of financing and pre-letting. Over a third of the total 77,000 square metres of office space are already let. Once the second instalment of the purchase price has been paid, nothing else stands in the way of handing over the land to the developer.
December: In frosty temperatures, construction workers concrete the Elbtower’s base plate. It is four-metres thick and covers an area of 2,600 m2. The large-scale operation lasts 48 hours. Trucks bring 11,000 cubic metres of concrete to the construction site. When the material reaches its final strength, construction of the tower can begin in January 2023.
