Blue Port Hamburg is an art installation at Hamburg's port between the two cruise terminals and along the Elbe with various light installations. The base colour of the project is blue.
Hamburg's changing port
The project speaks to a fundamental structural change through light art: the maritime mile, shaped by logistics and industry, is developing into a diverse urban space with residential quarters and cultural facilities. Characteristic of this are, among other things, the constant development of the Speicherstadt warehouse district, maritime museums, the HafenCity neighbourhood, and the new landmark of the Hanseatic city: the Elbphilharmonie.
Persistent, mobile and liquid elements
Blue Port Hamburg is a complex ensemble presentation made up of permanent parts (quays, pontoons, terminals, buildings, bridges, towers, cranes, etc.), mobile parts (ships, passers-by) and liquid parts (water, reflections). The programme grounds covers an area of around six square kilometres with a shoreline of around four kilometres.
Blue Port Hamburg's 'light language'
The language of light relies on graphic modelling, light sources and reflection. In contrast to, for example, ship christenings, the use of large-calibre spotlights/beamers/space canons etc. is dispensed with. Around 75 percent of the existing light sources (operating lights, path lights, public lighting, ship lighting) are used. By exchanging the illuminants (blue lamps) or filtering to blue, a balanced energy picture results. For additional lights, only standard fluorescent tubes and LEDs are used.
Artistic light space
The conceptual goal is the realisation of a multi-layered artistic light space, whose components of 'structure' and 'change' have an effect on the image and style. The artistic and monochromatic description of an extremely well-known and well-used terrain is a unique game of reduction and precise lines, timing and rhythm.
