Hamburg 2016 - The Elbphilharmonie

The Elbphilharmonie is a new architectural landmark sitting at the Western tip of the Hafencity Project in Hamburg. Designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron - the project was 7 years late and cost 10 times more then the original budget of around 80m euros. I always wondered how buildings get built in Europe that are way over the original budget and way behind schedule - back home even a 10% increase over the original budget is seen as a great sin by the project team - albeit for private projects.

At the time we visited the concert hall was not open it. It would eventually open in January 2017. The reception has been overwhelmingly positive.

Clad in opalescent glass and sitting on top of an old cocoa warehouse - the Elbphilharmonie look like huge galleon in full sail, or a icy glass sculpture. Now the tallest building in Hamburg - the wavy form of the roof is visible from many parts of the city. Hamburg now has a modern architectural icon to rival the best around the World.