Step onto the Armgartstrasse 24. You stand before HAW Hamburg Design. This isn’t just a building. It’s a living testament to over 150 years of design history.
In 1867 Emilie Wuestenfeld’s vision took shape. A Gewerbeschule fur Madchen a trade school for girls opened its doors. Thirty-six students began learning German business skills arithmetic bookkeeping and more. They also learned practical skills like sewing and pattern making. The school moved to a new building on Brennerstrasse in 1873. There it remained for 70 years.
The school evolved. It added trade courses. It trained teachers and bookkeepers. It expanded its offerings. Its name grew longer to reflect its broader mission. In 1921 it became a state school for women’s professions. The school thrived but later faced challenges. Rationalization measures reduced its student body. Seminars were dissolved.
The Nazi era brought profound changes. The curriculum shifted. The school became a craft school then a fashion meisterschule. Students even designed uniforms for the Bund Deutscher Madchen. Tragedy struck during the bombing of St Georg in 1943. The building was destroyed. The school closed.
After the war Klare Baumert resumed leadership. The school reopened in 1946. It found a new home at Armgartstrasse in 1951. A housewifery department was transferred elsewhere. The school focused on fashion textiles clothing and graphics. By 1957 it was considered a leading school even surpassing its counterparts in Munich and Frankfurt.
Through various name changes and evolutions HAW Hamburg Design reached its current form. It became part of the Fachhochschule Hamburg in 1970. Then it integrated into the University of Applied Sciences in 2004. Today it offers Bachelor’s degrees in illustration communication design textile fashion and costume design and clothing technology and management.
The legacy of Emilie Wuestenfeld’s vision endures. This building reflects innovation creativity and adaptability. It has adapted to societal changes offering a blend of artistic and technological training. Walk through the entrance. Notice the mosaics discovered during renovations. These are silent witnesses to the long and vibrant story of HAW Hamburg Design.