People
Fritz Schumacher: The Man Who Built Modern Hamburg
How one architect’s ideas from a hundred years ago still shape the way we live, walk and cycle through Hamburg today.
Mert Bulan
I've been living in Hamburg for 8 years and enjoying every moment of it. In this newsletter, I share my thoughts and discoveries about Hamburg.
Streets
Fuhle: Life Along Hamburg’s Most Numbered Street
From number 1 to 792, I take you along Fuhlsbüttler Straße to show you why it deserves a place among Hamburg’s famous streets.
Digitalization
Why Doesn't Hamburg Have a Public Project Board?
A public Kanban board could make Hamburg’s projects more transparent and strengthen democracy by showing citizens how public money is being spent.
History
All Too Near: How Altona Became Hamburg's Danish Rival
A walking tour led me into the story of Altona, the Danish-ruled city that grew beside Hamburg by offering freedoms its powerful neighbour did not.
Nature
Boberger Niederung: Eight Habitats in One Nature Reserve
A short trip to Boberger Niederung revealed a side of Hamburg I never expected, with sand dunes, lakes, woodland and gliders all in one nature reserve.
Cycling
How good is Hamburg’s cycling infrastructure?
What is the Copenhagenize Index, and what does it show about where Hamburg’s cycling infrastructure is doing well and where it is falling behind?
Nature
Animals of Hamburg: Our Wild Neighbours
Discovering Hamburg’s wild neighbours inspired me to build Tiérdex and pay more attention to the animals around me.
Architecture
Fifty Shades of Klinker: The Bricks That Shaped Hamburg
From historic warehouses to modern homes, Klinker has shaped Hamburg’s colors, character, and identity for generations.
Nature
Visiting Elbwald for the first and perhaps last time
A Sunday bike ride led me to Elbwald, where nearly 400 grown trees face removal to make way for the expansion of Hamburg’s port.
Nature
Greenest cities in Europe, and where Hamburg stands
Most “greenest cities” lists measure the wrong things, and I believe the 3-30-300 rule offers a better way to measure how green a city really is.
Tech
Why does Apple have an office in a small town close to Hamburg?
This was the question I had after reading a job ad on Apple's jobs page.
Wahlhamburger
It doesn't matter where you were born, it only matters where you feel at home.