Sparks

Within the scope of “Kreativwerkstatt Oberhafen” (Oberhafen Creativity Workshop) of HafenCity Universität Hamburg (HCU) a seminar paper has been written analysing the actors actually involved and yet to be involved in the Oberhafen transformation process, resulting in recommendations for planning procedures focussing on the actors. It was the target of the analysis to create transparency relating to the means, responsibilities and objectives of the actors for the sake of supporting the further planning process.

Download whole analysis as PDF (German)

In addition to an examination of the prevailing legal and structural conditions in Oberhafen, first of all the bases of participation and the milestones of the Oberhafen transformation process were described and the actors involved were scrutinized. Interviews with the three stakeholders were conducted and qualitatively evaluated so as to get an idea of the expectations, assessments and targets of the actors involved in the Oberhafen project. On the municipal side Tim Geilenkeuser (HafenCity Hamburg GmbH) and Egbert Rühl (Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft mbH) and on the users’ side Ulrich Bildstein (Oberhafen e.V., Hamburger Kammerkunst e.V.) were questioned.

Those interviews showed the hitherto deficits in communication and coordination, the various means and responsibilities in the development of the area, and the differing ideas relating to the future planning. Even if the actors described the intended use in a similar way, they partly disagreed about the organization of the further planning process. Several critical points in the Oberhafen development were discussed and the respective assessments as, for instance, concerning the authorisation of individual actors, the shortage of resources and the lack of public relations, were different. In addition to the actions taken by the municipal actors and the users in situ it was particularly the attitude of HafenCity Universität Hamburg that produced controversial discussions.

In summary, the interviews procured the following results which lead to the procedural recommendations specified in the following:

Improvement of Cooperation and Pooling Expertise

Each of the actors involved in the Oberhafen project owns different resources, experience, manpower, etc. to be contributed into the transformation process. Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft mbH, HafenCity Hamburg GmbH, Oberhafen e.V. and additional actors involved in the project do have their own experts in various fields. So it is important to pool and link up responsibilities and know-how on different levels. Existing cooperation should be intensified and new forms of cooperation should be created. Potential partners are the existing and future users in the Oberhafen area, namely associations, foundations, interest groups, universities, etc. The most suitable form and the possible fields of cooperation are to be assessed individually. Additionally, the establishment of an independent company for the effective development of Oberhafen might be considered, which company, provided with the necessary means, manpower and competence, could adopt the procedural control of the Oberhafen project. Anyway, professional presentation for the development of those forms of cooperation does make sense (see below). Finally, for further planning stages it is particularly important to establish rules for the allocation of space and other important decisions in Oberhafen and possibly to establish new structures.

Improvement of Communication, Further Development of Mutual Esteem

The hitherto planning procedures for the Oberhafen project partly provoked irritation, disapproval or even protest among the actors. In order to focus the planning procedure on the actors, all relevant actors should be involved in the evaluation and decision-making processes, agreements protecting the respective interests should be negotiated on an equal basis providing a plausible balance. To this respect regular contacts need be established, the methods of coordination need be optimized and communication need be intensified. Each and any actor is responsible for his acts and the only means to reach the joint goal is to have constructive discussions. Each individual actor need be prepared to also realistically consider the economic, legal and political framework conditions in the Oberhafen space, to make compromises and finally, to support joint decisions. The objective of creating a “cultural and creative district” should be more closely defined by the actors with regard to the specific use and planning steps and the criteria for the allotment of spaces should be jointly developed. Planning procedures supported by all the actors presuppose the communication among equals and mutual esteem. An administration will only be able to take authorized decisions if the users and the interested public are satisfactorily involved. On the other hand, the interests of individual actors will have to rank after community and public interests. Anyway, the personal commitment of the individuals interested in the future of Oberhafen is to be respected and should receive the attention it deserves.

Professionalization and Process Design

In the present stage of the transformation process the actors need to take decisions relating the allotment criteria which will essentially influence the development of the district. It is important to take transparent and professional decisions. Due to the past partly serious communication problems und disputes among the actors and due to the obvious disparities of power it is recommendable to involve a moderator trained in communication, mediation and organisational development. It is essential that this person should be an external and neutral moderator accepted by all the actors.

Dynamic Development Procedures Advisable, Leaving Room for “Prototyping”

There are restrictions as to forecasts and planning reliability of the Oberhafen project. Additionally, many of the future users are yet unknown, however, they should be included in the planning procedures to be developed. Competition procedures will not be able to adequately react to changing conditions and their contribution to the support of innovation and pleasure in experimentation is certainly restricted. In order to also consider future users and constellations of actors, dynamic planning procedures would make sense, the tools of which need be defined specifically for the Oberhafen project. For instance, the division of the spaces to be allotted could be envisaged, whereby parts of the halls will be reserved for “prototyping” processes and another part for “conventional” lease. So experimental uses could be tested and evaluated according to criteria of feasibility, publicity effect and financing. In such dynamic planning procedures decisions may be revised; they do facilitate feedbacks with regard to additional processes.

Guarantee of Transparency; Involvement of the Public

One of the bases for planning procedures focussing on the actors is transparency. Only if the argumentation and decisions are known and comprehensible to the other actors, the decisions will prevail. So the criteria for the allotment of spaces in Oberhafen should be published, discussed and evaluated. Besides, the interested public should be involved in the planning process at an early stage and should be informed about the developments in Oberhafen. By this, attention will be directed to the place and its use, and the general public may possibly act as a corrective factor of the transformation process.

Provision of Resources for the Planning Process

Both for the supply of infrastructure and the support and monitoring of the ongoing Oberhafen planning procedures resources, i.e. capital, manpower and know-how, are required. Therefore the partly underfinanced municipal companies do need additional money from the City of Hamburg or from other sponsors in order to be able to adequately monitor the Oberhafen transformation process. Also for the necessary professionalization of the planning and organisational development by external moderation (see above) a corresponding budget should be provided.

We thank Paul Gallep for this exclusive summary of his work for this blog and Dorothea Neubauer for her generous translation work.