#Administration building #Hamburg #1922
Burchardplatz 1, 2; Burchardstraße 13, 15; Depenau 3; Klingberg 3; Meßberg 2, 5; Niedernstraße 11; Pumpen 6, 8
20095
Hamburg,
Germany
Public transport: Meßberg
Today's use: Administration building
Description
The developer's wealth was accompanied by the construction of an eye-catching building as the main administrative centre. The shape is striking, with the tip on the east corner reminiscent of the prow of a ship. The quote from shipbuilding can also be found in the Leipzig Konsumzentrale, which was also designed by Fritz Höger. In Hamburg, the Chilehaus is part of the quarter Kontorhausviertel. Among the office buildings from the first half of the 20th century is the Sprinkenhof building, also designed by Fritz Höger.
Expressionism from the 1910s, which was popular in Germany, influenced Höger's work. The conspicuousness of the Chile House is enhanced by the clinker brick, which has a different appearance depending on the weather. The upper storeys with terraces, stepped back towards the top, make the building appear slimmer and emphasise its expressive effect. The building itself is a block with three inner courtyards. The house stands on 16 metre long reinforced concrete piles. The subsoil to the nearby River Elbe is very soft and therefore had to be secured with the piles. The interior of the building appears more traditional. Both the room layout with many small rooms, which were used by the many small companies in the 1920s, as well as the window shapes and relatively large wall surfaces.
It would be assumed that the house has a flat roof. In reality, it is a gable roof with a slight slope.
Description
The developer's wealth was accompanied by the construction of an eye-catching building as the main administrative centre. The shape is striking, with the tip on the east corner reminiscent of the prow of a ship. The quote from shipbuilding can also be found in the Leipzig Konsumzentrale, which was also designed by Fritz Höger. In Hamburg, the Chilehaus is part of the quarter Kontorhausviertel. Among the office buildings from the first half of the 20th century is the Sprinkenhof building, also designed by Fritz Höger.
Expressionism from the 1910s, which was popular in Germany, influenced Höger's work. The conspicuousness of the Chile House is enhanced by the clinker brick, which has a different appearance depending on the weather. The upper storeys with terraces, stepped back towards the top, make the building appear slimmer and emphasise its expressive effect. The building itself is a block with three inner courtyards. The house stands on 16 metre long reinforced concrete piles. The subsoil to the nearby River Elbe is very soft and therefore had to be secured with the piles. The interior of the building appears more traditional. Both the room layout with many small rooms, which were used by the many small companies in the 1920s, as well as the window shapes and relatively large wall surfaces.
It would be assumed that the house has a flat roof. In reality, it is a gable roof with a slight slope.
History
The investor Sloman bought the site at auction in 1921 and had this building erected from 1922. It was opened in February 1924 and represents an early modern building in Germany. Administration buildings, called Kontorhäuser, were given names in Hamburg. The owner chose Chile because he had mined saltpetre there for many years. The house remained in the Sloman family until the 1980s. It was then sold several times. Historical milestones include its designation as a listed building in 1983 and the fact that the building, together with the quarters Kontorviertel and Speicherstadt, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015.
History
The investor Sloman bought the site at auction in 1921 and had this building erected from 1922. It was opened in February 1924 and represents an early modern building in Germany. Administration buildings, called Kontorhäuser, were given names in Hamburg. The owner chose Chile because he had mined saltpetre there for many years. The house remained in the Sloman family until the 1980s. It was then sold several times. Historical milestones include its designation as a listed building in 1983 and the fact that the building, together with the quarters Kontorviertel and Speicherstadt, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015.
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