On June 10, 2026, the winning design for the new Köhlbrand Bridge was unveiled at Hamburg City Hall – a significant milestone for Hamburg’s infrastructure that will be very impactful well beyond the region and, at the same time, is a major success for WTM Engineers.
The results of the Europe-wide competition were presented by Senator Dr. Melanie Leonhard, Chief Building Director Franz-Josef Höing, Dr. Maren Wolff, and Jens Meier, CEO of the Hamburg Port Authority, in a press conference.
We are delighted to have been awarded the contract in collaboration with the engineering firms GRASSL and spb schlaich bergermann partner, as well as the architectural practices of gmp and PPL. Our design impressed the jury with its technical and aesthetic quality and now forms the basis for the engineering consortium’s further planning of the new Köhlbrand crossing.
Chief Building Director Franz-Josef Höing remarked: “The design impresses everyone with its clear and elegant form and a consistently well-thought-through structure. It takes up the iconic shape of the existing bridge and sensitively develops it further, resulting in a structure that blends into the world of the port in a way that is equally convincing in both its function and its place in the urban fabric. The new Köhlbrand Bridge is once again set to become a Hamburg landmark!”
The new 5-kilometer-long bridge connection will replace the existing bridge, built in 1974, and serve as a central component of the main route to the port area. With a main span of 400 meters, a clearance height of approximately 73 meters, and its graceful, modern design, the new Köhlbrand Bridge will be clearly visible in the port. Key focal areas in the planning will be a low-maintenance structure, sustainable solutions, and measures to ensure that port operations run as smoothly as possible during the construction phase.
Our work in planning this significant flagship project represents an important contribution to the transportation infrastructure in northern Germany, and the design demonstrates how engineering, sustainability, and innovation can be successfully combined.
