The Bezirksamt (district office) Eimsbüttel is one of the Grindelhochhäuser (Grindel high-rises) and faces the Grindelberg street as the middle block in the second row. These 12 high-rises were built following world war II from 1946-56 inside the former jewish Grindel-quarter. It lies inside Hamburgs Harvestehude quarter which is part of the Eimsbüttel district. On this area, destructed during the war, the british administration planned a possible head quarter. After this was moved to Frankfurt the plans for the buildings stalled but were revived again by the senate of Hamburg in 1948.
Architecture
The Architecture is relating to high-rise visions of the 1920s and is inspired by Le Corbusier. The British wanted a modern and urban quarter that would differ as much as possible from Nazi architecture. So an ensemble of twelve high-rises with parks and art sculptures developed, where no building looked exactly like another (the rhythm of facade elements is varied). By 1979 the complete areal was listed as a protected landmark.
The central of the three 15 storey buildings facing Grindelberg was, like its neighbors, planned for non-residential purposes. Here the district office (quasi twon hall) of Hamburg’s district Eimsbüttel resides.
Amongst the image previews you can find a ‘work-in-progress’ view of the perspective from Grindelberg, with the Eimsbüttel district office in the background.
