DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45213#0055
51
(Karlsruhe). Honourable mentions are adjudged to: Paul Mebes and Paul Emmerich (Berlin), Hans
Herkommer (Stuttgart), and Hans Freese (Karlsruhe). With the exception of Fritz and Pflasterer, all
the architects whose designs have been selected (including the award winners) would participate
in the completion of the project: Walter Gropius, Otto Haesler, Wilhelm Riphan, Caspar Maria Grod,
Hans Detlev Rosiger, Franz Roeckle, Alfred Fischer, Wilhelm Lochstampfer, and Rossler. Baurat (city
architect) Walter Merz would also join the group. The majority of submitted plans made use of the
newly developed Zeilenbauweise ("linear layout").
The architects were presented with a set of guidelines which included: windows of uniform size,
flat roofs, standardised mouldings, white plaster elevations and grey pedestals, uniform garden de-
sign, plain doors and steel doorframes.There were also specific requirements concerning the estate's
plan: the so-called Zeilenbauweise was recommended. It insisted on arranging houses in parallel rows
which was considered particularly economical, allowing for parsimonious use of the terrain. The main
roads ran perpendicular to the buildings and access to individual units was provided by local path-
ways thus channelling traffic away and consequently reducing the noise level.149 With the buildings
aligned north to south, the rooms had windows facing east or west, which ensured optimal access
to natural light. The guidelines also defined the size of the units: 91 m2 for a flat in a block of flats and
190 m2 for a detached house. Of the originally envisioned 750 units, only 228 had been completed
by the exhibition's opening. The following year, the world economic crisis stalled the construction
activity on the site and only some blocks of flats were erected to elongate the existing rows in accor-
dance with the original conception. No more row-houses were built after 1929 and only some semi-
detached houses were added. The houses completed at the opening of the exhibition represented
23 types of residential buildings: 86 detached houses, 5 semi-detached houses, 13 four-unit houses,
6 eight-unit houses and one gallery-access block with 32 flats. The main street was lined with four-
storey buildings and parallel rows of two-storey houses were placed behind them. The corners of
the estate were accentuated with a church and utility buildings (heat plant, laundry). The originally
planned central square was never completed.150 The space left between the rows of row-houses fac-
ing each other was extended to 25 metres which resulted in the front and back gardens of the same
depth. Only 1/3 of the original plan from 1929 was built. The buildings were strikingly simple and
restrained with their plain white facades accentuated by strips of windows, flat roofs, and the strictly
geometric treatment of volumes deprived of any decorative elements.
Three building societies were involved in the development: Volkswohnung (established for
this particular project), Heimet (its Frankfurt branch), and non-profit building-cooperative Hardt-
waldsiedlung. The utility building was built by a local brewer's society (Karlsruher Brauereigesell-
schaft).
149 Walter GROPIUS, op.cit., p.8.
150 Guido HARBERS, 'Die Organisierung der Preisrichterarbeit als Hauptfaktor eines positiven Wettbewerbs-Ergebnissen dargestelIt am Beispiel
Karlsruhe-Dammerstock', Der Baumeister 1929, vol.27, p.36-53. See also: 'Karlsruhe wird moderne Wohnungen bauen !', Die Bauzeitung 1929,
vol.26, no. 5, p.48-50; VOLTER, 'Der Sieg der Streifenbebauung, Bemerkungen zu dem Wettbewerb "Dammerstock", Karlsruhe', Die BaugildeV929,
vol.11, no. 20, p.176-178; Paul SCHMITT,'Die Wirtschaflichkeit von Bebauungsplanen, Untersucht an vier Entwurfen des Dammerstock-Wettbew-
erbs Karlsruhe', DerBaumeister 1929, vol.27, p.264; Gino ANZIVINO, op. cit., p. 57; Paul SCHUTZ, Die Dammerstocksiedlung, vordem Hintergrundtder
kommunalen Wohnungs- und Planungspolitik in Karlsruhe von 1920 - 1930. Karlsruhe 1987, p.13-14; Johannes CRAMER, Niels GUTSCHOW, op.cit.,
p.148. Many contest works proposed the implementation of a central square into the design of linear building layouts. No. 1 - Walter Gropius
(1st Prize), No. 13. - Wilhelm Lochstampfer and Paul Schmitt (3rd Prize), No. 13. - Hans Detlev Rosiger (4th Prize), No. 23 - Franz Roeckle (purchased
design), No. 25 - Karl Pflasterer (purchased design), No. 32 - Hans Freese (Honourable Mention).
(Karlsruhe). Honourable mentions are adjudged to: Paul Mebes and Paul Emmerich (Berlin), Hans
Herkommer (Stuttgart), and Hans Freese (Karlsruhe). With the exception of Fritz and Pflasterer, all
the architects whose designs have been selected (including the award winners) would participate
in the completion of the project: Walter Gropius, Otto Haesler, Wilhelm Riphan, Caspar Maria Grod,
Hans Detlev Rosiger, Franz Roeckle, Alfred Fischer, Wilhelm Lochstampfer, and Rossler. Baurat (city
architect) Walter Merz would also join the group. The majority of submitted plans made use of the
newly developed Zeilenbauweise ("linear layout").
The architects were presented with a set of guidelines which included: windows of uniform size,
flat roofs, standardised mouldings, white plaster elevations and grey pedestals, uniform garden de-
sign, plain doors and steel doorframes.There were also specific requirements concerning the estate's
plan: the so-called Zeilenbauweise was recommended. It insisted on arranging houses in parallel rows
which was considered particularly economical, allowing for parsimonious use of the terrain. The main
roads ran perpendicular to the buildings and access to individual units was provided by local path-
ways thus channelling traffic away and consequently reducing the noise level.149 With the buildings
aligned north to south, the rooms had windows facing east or west, which ensured optimal access
to natural light. The guidelines also defined the size of the units: 91 m2 for a flat in a block of flats and
190 m2 for a detached house. Of the originally envisioned 750 units, only 228 had been completed
by the exhibition's opening. The following year, the world economic crisis stalled the construction
activity on the site and only some blocks of flats were erected to elongate the existing rows in accor-
dance with the original conception. No more row-houses were built after 1929 and only some semi-
detached houses were added. The houses completed at the opening of the exhibition represented
23 types of residential buildings: 86 detached houses, 5 semi-detached houses, 13 four-unit houses,
6 eight-unit houses and one gallery-access block with 32 flats. The main street was lined with four-
storey buildings and parallel rows of two-storey houses were placed behind them. The corners of
the estate were accentuated with a church and utility buildings (heat plant, laundry). The originally
planned central square was never completed.150 The space left between the rows of row-houses fac-
ing each other was extended to 25 metres which resulted in the front and back gardens of the same
depth. Only 1/3 of the original plan from 1929 was built. The buildings were strikingly simple and
restrained with their plain white facades accentuated by strips of windows, flat roofs, and the strictly
geometric treatment of volumes deprived of any decorative elements.
Three building societies were involved in the development: Volkswohnung (established for
this particular project), Heimet (its Frankfurt branch), and non-profit building-cooperative Hardt-
waldsiedlung. The utility building was built by a local brewer's society (Karlsruher Brauereigesell-
schaft).
149 Walter GROPIUS, op.cit., p.8.
150 Guido HARBERS, 'Die Organisierung der Preisrichterarbeit als Hauptfaktor eines positiven Wettbewerbs-Ergebnissen dargestelIt am Beispiel
Karlsruhe-Dammerstock', Der Baumeister 1929, vol.27, p.36-53. See also: 'Karlsruhe wird moderne Wohnungen bauen !', Die Bauzeitung 1929,
vol.26, no. 5, p.48-50; VOLTER, 'Der Sieg der Streifenbebauung, Bemerkungen zu dem Wettbewerb "Dammerstock", Karlsruhe', Die BaugildeV929,
vol.11, no. 20, p.176-178; Paul SCHMITT,'Die Wirtschaflichkeit von Bebauungsplanen, Untersucht an vier Entwurfen des Dammerstock-Wettbew-
erbs Karlsruhe', DerBaumeister 1929, vol.27, p.264; Gino ANZIVINO, op. cit., p. 57; Paul SCHUTZ, Die Dammerstocksiedlung, vordem Hintergrundtder
kommunalen Wohnungs- und Planungspolitik in Karlsruhe von 1920 - 1930. Karlsruhe 1987, p.13-14; Johannes CRAMER, Niels GUTSCHOW, op.cit.,
p.148. Many contest works proposed the implementation of a central square into the design of linear building layouts. No. 1 - Walter Gropius
(1st Prize), No. 13. - Wilhelm Lochstampfer and Paul Schmitt (3rd Prize), No. 13. - Hans Detlev Rosiger (4th Prize), No. 23 - Franz Roeckle (purchased
design), No. 25 - Karl Pflasterer (purchased design), No. 32 - Hans Freese (Honourable Mention).