Post-war urban planning and the proliferation of personal vehicles in Germany led to the construction of multi-level car parks that still influence cityscapes today. One example is the car park Herrlichkeit, centrally located on the banks of the Alsterfleet at Hamburg's Rödingsmarkt. Behind its sober 1960s facade lies an unexpected architectural gem: a central atrium connects all floors with a double-helix spiral ramp and is topped by a 15-meter-wide ornate dome. Diffused light enters through glass bricks in the shape of a flower, giving the space a sacred feel.

In my design for the car park Herrlichkeit, I transform the building into a cultural hub for artists, musicians, makers and creatives overall. Throughout its eight storeys, the new function offers ateliers, woodshops and other work spaces, rehearsal rooms for musicians and performers, as well as many opportunities for visitors, such as open workshops and services, a market, restaurant and bar or a library of things.

To allow the space to be used in Hamburg's climate, an ETFE film and a simple wood-polycarbonate structure form a temporary thermal envelope.

The two largest architectural interventions let light into the building's interior through a new atrium, and give the parking garage its new distinctive amphitheater. This parasitical architectural addition breaks through parts of the existing building and signals a departure from the previous function to the outside world. The existing ramp is turned into a gallery. These two venues tie together all of the building's different functions. With the new use, the former car park is filled with life and can become an active part of the Altstadt's revitalization, while still preserving the original architectural value.