Zaha Hadid Architects has completed the sculptural Niederhafen River Promenade in Hamburg, Germany, as part of the city's upgrade of its flood prevention system.
Positioned along the 625-metre-long stretch between St Pauli Landungsbrücken and Baumwall, the Niederhafen River Promenade replaces one of the city's existing, but dilapidating, flood barriers built in 1964.
While providing vital flood defence for the city, Zaha Hadid Architects' design also incorporates amphitheatre-like staircases, a three-storey restaurant and shops at street level to offer the city a new public space and riverside walkway.

"Hamburg's Niederhafen flood protection barrier is in a prominent location that incorporates the city's renowned riverside promenade ? a major attraction for tourists and one of Hamburg's most important public spaces, " said the architects. "With construction of all phases now complete, the redevelopment of the flood protection barrier reconnects Hamburg's river promenade with the surrounding urban fabric of the city."

Hamburg's existing flood protection infrastructure was developed after a series of storm surges in 1962 that destroyed the homes of 60,000 locals.
It includes 78 kilometres of dykes, a mix of tidal gates and pumping stations and six storm-surge barriers.

Zaha Hadid Architects won a competition in 2006 to replace one of the 7.2-metre-high barriers, which is located close to Herzog & de Meuron's Elbphilharmonie Hamburg.
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