Designer of the modern city
David Lindley in Hamburg and Europe (1808-1900)
 
 

During the 19^th century Hamburg developed rapidly from a contemplativ trading town at the Elbe-river to worldwide well known seaport. Especially the reconstruction and modernization after the big brand in 1842 made Hamburg a metropolis in northern Germany. One who played a big role in the successful growth of the town was William Lindley (7.9.1808 - 22.5.1900).

To the 200^th day of birth of this wellknown engineer urban planner the hamburgmuseum shows in a huge exhibition the extensive creation of that versatile man in Hamburg and in other European cities,
Lindley had been a typical representativ of an engineer in the 19^th century. He was very succesfull and at his contemporaries he was deputed from time to time. Because of the close relationsship between Hamburg an Great Britain, he came to Hamburg and constructed the first railway from Hamburg to Bergedorf, which later on lead to Berlin. After 1842 he became famous because of his plans for the reconstruction of the burnt down city and of for the installation of a central water supply. The city of Hamburg mandated him for the realisation of this trendsetting project. During the almost 20 years Lindley planned docks, gas and water works, street lighting, bath and varied plants of the infrastructure. Therefore Lindley played a big role in the development of Hamburg druing the second half of  the niniteenth century to a modern seaport and industrial town. Foremost he contributed to the improvement of living conditions of the citizens.

In Hamburg and numerous other European cities, like Warsaw, Frankfurt on the Main, Budapest and London, Lindley has been together with his sons a pathfinder of modernization in  the nineteenth century. Exemplified by Lindley the exhibition illustrates with numerous design models, plans, graphics and installations the changes  of everyday life of the citizens on their way to the twentieth century.

The exhibition has been planned together with HafenCity University Hamburg,  Hamburgische Ingenieurkammer-Bau, Hamburgische Architektenkammer, HamburgWasser and Hamburg Feuerkasse.