The We-House is an innovative co-housing project being constructed in Hamburg's Quartier Baakenhafen in the HafenCity urban development area. This eight-story building will feature 52 apartments housing approximately 180 residents, with completion expected in 2025/2026.
The project stands out for its strong ecological focus, utilizing sustainable timber construction with carbonized wooden cladding, photovoltaic systems on both the roof and facade, and an extensively greened facade. The We-House aims to achieve an exemplary ecological footprint of just two global hectares per person, significantly lower than Germany's average of 5.3 gha.
A distinctive feature of the We-House is its rooftop greenhouse, capable of producing three tonnes of vegetables annually through hydroponic farming. This produce supplies the ground-floor restaurant, which offers meals to residents at cost price. The building implements innovative resource management systems, including greywater recycling and biomass circulation, further reducing its environmental impact.
The We-House concept extends beyond ecological considerations to foster community. Residents benefit from shared amenities including co-working spaces, yoga facilities, guest apartments, a wellness area, and car-sharing services. A special app allows residents to book these various services.
The project represents a new model of co-housing where residents can move between different apartments as their living requirements change, made possible through a shared ownership model. Currently planned at five sites across Germany, the We-House concept is designed for expansion.