Investigation of port city transformation projects in the concept of 'rethinking': The Hamburg example

The transformation and development of cities in recent decades have been strongly influenced by global economic shifts, changes in social structures, and escalating environmental crises. These dynamics have led contemporary urban areas into complex processes of restructuring. Among the urban typologies most significantly affected by these transformations are port cities, which, due to the evolution and decline of their historical functions, require new spatial and functional reconfigurations. The transformation of port areas entails not only the redesign of the physical environment but also the redefinition of urban identity, the reintegration of abandoned waterfront zones into the urban fabric, and the fostering of social cohesion. This thesis explores the transformation of port cities through the conceptual framework of "re-thinking", examining the architectural and urban-scale implications of this process with a particular focus on sustainability, urban identity, and social inclusivity. Within this scope, several transformation projects that reintegrate obsolete port areas into the urban context have been analyzed, with particular attention to the differences between them. As a representative example, the HafenCity Project in Hamburg, Germany—one of Europe's largest urban regeneration initiatives—has been selected for detailed study. HafenCity emerges as a comprehensive transformation model that refunctions derelict industrial and port lands through contemporary design principles, combining public spaces, housing, offices, and cultural areas in an integrated urban fabric. The methodology of this research includes literature review, planning analysis, and spatial evaluation of the project area. HafenCity has been examined in depth to compare its former condition with its current status following the completion of the transformation process. In conclusion, the thesis aims to provide an in-depth investigation of port city transformation through the lens of the "re-thinking" concept, using HafenCity as a case study. It evaluates the project in terms of population dynamics, residential and commercial density, the quality and distribution of public spaces, and sustainable urban development—tracing the spatial and functional evolution of the area from past to present.