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obenstadt e.v. / Hamburg Roof Days 2024 - Photographer: Isadora Tast

RETHINKING ROOFTOPS

The future is upstairs

Let's go, Altona! Hamburg Rooftop Days 2026

Altona – a neighborhood in transition. Having evolved over time, diverse and vibrant, it is constantly changing yet remains a place full of openness and possibilities. Here, cultural, community-driven, and nature-oriented projects are taking shape, demonstrating how cities can be reimagined from the ground up. But roofs are more than just bricks and concrete. They are spaces for nature-inspired design, places for people to come together, and a space for new ideas.

With our city festival, the Hamburg Rooftop Days 2026, taking place from June 26 to 28, we’ll showcase how Altona is already looking ahead: a neighborhood that, when viewed from above, offers the best prospects for the future.

The future is happening up there.
We look forward to seeing you.

Come up to the roof!

And change the world with us from above! In our rooftop news, we regularly inform you about our commitment to making cities more liveable. We hope you enjoy reading it.

NEW

Hamburg Green Building Award 2025

The Hamburg Green Building Award, presented by the Environment Agency (BUKEA), honoured outstanding green building projects for the third time this year, highlighting Hamburg's commitment to adapting its city to climate change. The basis for this is Hamburg's green roof strategy, which will have been in place for eleven years by 2025 and has made Hamburg a pioneer of green architecture in Germany. Supplemented since 2024 by the green facades strategy, the city is pursuing a clear goal: climate-resilient neighbourhoods with cool places to stay, better water storage and new habitats for animals and plants.

NEW

the good roof story

We are passionate about taking art and encounters to new heights, literally!

NEW

Asphaltsprenger-Festival 2025

The annual Asphaltsprenger Festival on the PARKS site is now a firm favourite with nature enthusiasts and interested parties. Here you can find out about environmental protection, urban nature and sustainable urban development.

The festival, organised by the Loki Schmidt Foundation and the BürgerStiftung Hamburg, took place at the same time as the Hafengeburtstag. For the fourth time, the PARKS site was transformed into a lively meeting place for environmentalists, families, music fans and the curious - and offered an unparalleled programme on 10 May.

At the heart of the festival is the desire for a city in which nature and people are given more space again. Numerous Hamburg environmental organisations presented themselves at almost 50 stands, providing information about their projects and inviting people to get involved. Here you could not only learn how each individual can contribute to environmental protection, but also become directly active: Whether it was developing digital microscopes to analyse the water from the flood basin, building insect hotels or taking part in the bee trail - a thirst for research and action were expressly encouraged.

Illustration - Heiner Wolfram

Master Thesis

Roofs are relevant for us

Hardly anyone knows what Hamburg's rooftops look like - and what Hamburg's rooftops can do. Our two cofounders Daria Sankina and Janet Klawitter from obenstadt e.V. investigated this as part of their joint Master's thesis - and have formulated approaches for implementing more multifunctional roof uses in Hamburg.

Hamburg Roof Days 2024

It was great: Our review

4 roofs, 9 expeditions, 16 specials and, believe it or not, 1,500 visitors: That was the Hamburg Roof Days 2024! We are still thrilled - and revel in the best moments with you.

Fotografin: Isadora Tast

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In Hamburg alone, there is an approx. 37 km² roofscape with an incredible amount of development potential that has hardly been used to date and is virtually being wasted. That is about 25 times the size of Hamburg's city park.

But why all this? Are roofs relevant at all?

Yes, because due to the ongoing urbanization trend, increasing demand for space and competition for space, there is a steady decline in open and green spaces in growing cities. However, open and green spaces have important benefits for the well-being of city dwellers, can mitigate the effects of heatwaves and heavy rainfall events and create new habitats for urban flora and fauna. This is why the planning and shared use of roof surfaces is essential for sustainable urban development and should be indispensable in practice.

We are obenstadt

Whether for play, greenery or culture – roofs can do more. Time to broaden Hamburg's horizons!

Daria Sankina

Roofs are another space we can use to realise creative ideas.

Heiner Wolfram

There are endless possibilities for using roofs. I would like to see more of this in Hamburg.

Janet Klawitter

Roofs open up avenues for urban solutions – let's go up to the roof together!

Katrien Ligt

Upper Town opens up the second level of the city as a space for encounters and experiences.

Nicole Wittek

Roofs offer valuable space for people, nature and cities – it is time to look up.

Rebecca Wenzel

Obenstadt opens up roof spaces as areas of opportunity with a view for the whole city.

Nathalie Schmidt

Let's change our perspective on Hamburg's rooftops and enjoy the view!

Anne Pleuser

Hamburg can do so much more! Writing is my job, sustainable roof utilisation is my passion.

Andy Hatrath

So much bitumen and so little greenery, recreation, culture or energy production. Let's change that!

Rico Herzog

The future of cities begins at the top – roofs as spaces for climate, culture, community and nature.

Claudia Massioni

Green roofs for climate, space and new perspectives on a sustainable city.

Carsten Krause

Whether for play, greenery or culture – roofs can do more. Time to broaden Hamburg's horizons!

Daria Sankina

Roofs are another space we can use to realise creative ideas.

Heiner Wolfram

There are endless possibilities for using roofs. I would like to see more of this in Hamburg.

Janet Klawitter

Roofs open up avenues for urban solutions – let's go up to the roof together!

Katrien Ligt

Upper Town opens up the second level of the city as a space for encounters and experiences.

Nicole Wittek

Roofs offer valuable space for people, nature and cities – it is time to look up.

Rebecca Wenzel

Obenstadt opens up roof spaces as areas of opportunity with a view for the whole city.

Nathalie Schmidt

Let's change our perspective on Hamburg's rooftops and enjoy the view!

Anne Pleuser

Hamburg can do so much more! Writing is my job, sustainable roof utilisation is my passion.

Andy Hatrath

So much bitumen and so little greenery, recreation, culture or energy production. Let's change that!

Rico Herzog

The future of cities begins at the top – roofs as spaces for climate, culture, community and nature.

Claudia Massioni

Green roofs for climate, space and new perspectives on a sustainable city.

Carsten Krause

Whether for play, greenery or culture – roofs can do more. Time to broaden Hamburg's horizons!

Daria Sankina

Roofs are another space we can use to realise creative ideas.

Heiner Wolfram

There are endless possibilities for using roofs. I would like to see more of this in Hamburg.

Janet Klawitter

Roofs open up avenues for urban solutions – let's go up to the roof together!

Katrien Ligt

Upper Town opens up the second level of the city as a space for encounters and experiences.

Nicole Wittek

Roofs offer valuable space for people, nature and cities – it is time to look up.

Rebecca Wenzel

Obenstadt opens up roof spaces as areas of opportunity with a view for the whole city.

Nathalie Schmidt

Let's change our perspective on Hamburg's rooftops and enjoy the view!

Anne Pleuser

Hamburg can do so much more! Writing is my job, sustainable roof utilisation is my passion.

Andy Hatrath

So much bitumen and so little greenery, recreation, culture or energy production. Let's change that!

Rico Herzog

The future of cities begins at the top – roofs as spaces for climate, culture, community and nature.

Claudia Massioni

Green roofs for climate, space and new perspectives on a sustainable city.

Carsten Krause

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