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.
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.
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.
Nature
Hamburg's Stadtpark: A Park Built to Be Used
In 1914 Hamburg built a park for people to use rather than admire, and more than a century later that is still what it is.
Micro Mobility
Shared mobility is great. The parking isn't.
Hamburg has great transport options, but shared micro mobility still has one problem the city hasn't solved.
Tech
When will Hamburg move away from Microsoft?
Hamburg is becoming more dependent on Microsoft while only beginning to explore open-source alternatives.
Cycling
A love letter to my favourite Fahrradstraße in Hamburg
I grew up watching cartoons on Fox Kids, like The Kids from Room 402, What’s with Andy?, and Life with Louie. One thing I often saw in these cartoons was children going to school by bike. Sadly, this was not common in Turkey, where I grew up, because the
Food
The Coffee Belt Runs Through Hamburg’s Roasters
Hamburg’s coffee history is still alive in its local roasters, where beans from 31 countries find their way into the city.
Politics
Why is direct democracy still signed on paper?
Hamburg has a strong system for direct democracy, but popular initiatives and popular petitions still rely on paper signatures. Is it time to allow digital signing?
Public Transportation
The New Bus Departure Displays Nobody Asked For
One of Hamburg's small everyday symbols is quietly disappearing, and the replacement is worse in almost every way.