Gängeviertel Cooperative eG 2010
Before Hamburg's destruction in World War II, large parts of the Altstadt and Neustadt were dominated by tightly-packed mazes of half-timbered working-class homes called Gängeviertel (alley quarter). These quarters were almost completely destroyed with the exception of a small block smack in the middle of Hamburg's Neustadt. Surrounded by modern office buildings, this area has been a thorn on the side of developers for many years. In 2009, a group of creatives and artists took over the area and turned the Gängeviertel into a cultural center with cafés, workshops, art galleries, bars and venues running on a donation-based system.
