Preservation and Reinstatement of a Harbour Pilot House,
Hamburg-Blankenese

South elevation Client: J. Kebschull, Hamburg Construction Costs: private client Services: Project development and turnkey reinstatement, Design and site supervision, structural design Period: 2006 Cooperation: Michaela Hannesson, Architect, Hamburg

The old harbour pilot house is located at the river Elbe in Hamburg Blankenese. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century and several times reconstructed over the years. When the new owner bought the house it was divided in three small apartments: two at the ground floor and another one at the first floor. The apartments were old and run down.

The main task of the construction scheme was to keep and preserve the original appearance of the harbour pilot house. The floor plan and the installations were supposed to be adjusted to the wishes of the new owner. Therefore it was necessary to stone the house very carefully and survey the existing structure to keep as much as possible, and to adjust if necessary. It was possible to keep the old roof rafter and the wooden floor construction between ground floor and first floor. Only the wooden floor construction between basement and ground floor had to be rebuilt.

Following constructions have also been realized:

• Basement: The existing basement staircase was replaced by a reinforced concrete staircase in a new position.
• Ground floor: A new chimney for a large scale fireplace replaced the old broken one. An indoor porch made of steal and glass was located in the entrance hall. The old staircase up to the first floor was replaced by a double flight wooden staircase.
• First floor: The first floor ceiling had been removed with only the structural members of the original roof construction left in place. The members have been left visible as part of the interior design.
• Roof construction: The roof got an upset thermal insulation and new tiles, same style as the old ones.
• Windows and facade: The lattice windows were replaced with new double glazing windows in the same style. The insulation of the external walls was improved by a thin indoor calcium silicate board on the inside.