Our mission
With us, design is at the centre. In the heart of Hamburg's HafenCity, we offer design promotion and space for exhibitions, events, projects and exchange both within and with the industry.
Design Zentrum Hamburg
The Design Zentrum Hamburg is the city's initiative for the promotion and visibility of the industry. On the way to the ecological-social transformation of the economy and society, design is considered one of the key competences. The Design Zentrum Hamburg makes the significance and potential of the design industry and its actors visible. With our funding programmes, discussions and further education formats, we create offers for young designers, solo self-employed people and established agencies or companies with an affinity for design. As a network and incubator for new ideas, we promote interdisciplinary exchange at eye level with designers, universities and business. Through our exhibitions, events and experiments in HafenCity, we open ourselves up as a citizen-friendly ideas space for the city.
Since 2018, we have been part of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, the location initiative for the creative industries of the Hanseatic City of Hamburg. As the former designxport, since its opening in 2014 we have taken over the previous tasks of urban design promotion of the hamburgunddesign° initiative founded in 1995 by the then Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg and are supported accordingly with funds from the Ministry of Culture and Media.
Design in Hamburg
We are a contact point and hub for over 12,000 designers who live and work in the Hanseatic city. As freelancers, in design offices, in international agency networks or in companies, they make Hamburg a lively design metropolis. With an annual turnover of around 3 billion euros, the design industry is one of the relevant economic sectors and thus shapes the face and character of the city, not only in terms of design. We support the design industry in its growth, further development and transformation processes and act as an intermediary between industry, business and the design sector.
Team
As director of the Design Zentrum Hamburg, Frances Uckermann is responsible for the conceptual orientation. She positions the interdisciplinary and internationally oriented centre as a network, incubator for concrete projects and debate venue. She studied Fine Arts and Visual Communication and worked as a creative director for major media brands.
Annika Fitz oversees events, is responsible for talent development and building interdisciplinary networks in the areas of young talent, innovation, sustainability and transformation. She studied Industrial Design at the HFBK Hamburg. Her design spectrum ranges from product and interior design for agencies to process design.
Philipp Götz kommuniziert für das Design Zentrum Hamburg und das Programm Frei_Fläche der Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft. Seit seinem Studium an der Universität Hamburg und der Leuphana Universität bewegt sich der Kulturwissenschaftler an der Schnittstelle von Kommunikation, Architektur und Stadtentwicklung. Ob Gruner + Jahr, Internationale Bauausstellung oder Denkmalschutzamt – beruflich hat Philipp die Stadt bereits aus unterschiedlichen Blickwinkeln kennengelernt. Zuletzt war er im Bereich PR für den Bildungsbau der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg tätig.
Annika Grote ist Ansprechpartnerin für Veranstaltungen und Vermietung im Design Zentrum Hamburg. Bevor sie zum Design Zentrum kam, absolvierte Annika den Bachelor Fashion & Textile Technologies in den Niederlanden. 2020 zog es sie für eine Stelle in der Produktentwicklung für Living Textiles nach Hamburg. Aktuell studiert sie Multichannel Trade Management in Textile Business an der HAW Hamburg und bewegt sich so zwischen den Kreativbereichen Mode, Textil und Design.
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