Exploring Everyday Streets
Chapter 4:
Who owns the street? The cases of Lange Reihe and Steindamm in Hamburg
Bedour Braker
The nuances of everyday urban life are exposed on city streets. In Hamburg, two main arteries in the neighbourhood of St Georg – Lange Reihe and Steindamm – reveal profound social tension. The former is a popular destination for the LGBTQ+ community, while the latter is a space for conservative Muslim immigrants. This chapter discusses both streets as public spaces dominated by social prejudice. By tracing their histories, cultural backgrounds, and reasons why they are at odds with each other, this chapter discusses who ‘owns’ the street, questioning why all streets do not simply belong to everyone.
About Bedour Braker
Bedour Braker is an Egyptian researcher based in Germany. She embraces a political approach in her research, questioning the societal means of reclaiming public spaces as a necessity to reactivate democracy. In addition to her research, Braker has also been part of the Jan Braker Architekt team in Hamburg since 2013.
All chapters
Chapter 13: Investing in (post-Covid) street appeal
Matthew Carmona