Inventive reuse of a German Second World War bunker provides energy, and public space and amenities, in Hamburg
Germany is dotted with Second World War bunkers, which are often so massive that they defy convenient destruction. Various approaches have been taken to the reuse and adaptation of these buildings. In Hamburg, as part of the ongoing works initiated by the International Building Exhibition of 2007-2013, a huge concrete bunker has been remade as a heating plant for the neighbourhood. Inside the building, a two-million-litre capacity water reservoir stores warmth produced by a biomass-fuelled plant and from the solar panels mounted on the roof and south facade; these sources of heat also generate electricity. The plant has a visitor centre with a café and viewing platform.
