DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45213#0099
Arthur Seibel in an article on modern housing construction published in Ostdeutsche Bau-Zei-
tung in 1932 was very critical about the new technologies because of the resulting high maintenance
costs: "Over the last thirteen years they learnt how to transform the 'high-minded' ideas into an
architectural reality. Informal connections were used to ensure the support of building authorities.
What has come out of this 'ideal' collaboration is an appalling example and sobering lesson for the
future."233 He gave the examples of defective flat-roof slab constructions in Frankfurt-am-Mein 234,
Werkbund's model housing estate Weissenhof in Stuttgart 235 and Otto Haesler's development in
Celle236: in all these housing estates serious structural problems caused the maintenance costs, high
to begin with, to grow even higher. The housing community at Babelhof in Brunswick, established
under the auspices of Social Democrats, went bankrupt despite - and perhaps because of- the fact
that it had built a few hundred flats. Artur Seibel saw this situation as a result of employing non-eco-
nomical construction methods and untested new materials that had soon caused the degradation
of entire developments. Problems of this kind certainly did not do much for the reputation of Neues
Bauen already under attack by the National Socialist Party that was quickly rising to power.
233 Artur SEIBEL, 'Neuzeitliches Bauen', Ostdeutsche Bau-Zeitung-Breslau 1932, vol.30, p.298.
234 Ibidem. Those responsible for structural defects have managed to flee in time and the suffering citizens of Frankfurt bear dire consequences of their
misgivings..
235 Ibidem. The author criticised the Werkbund for not contributing to cover the maintenance costs of non-economical buildings putting the
entire burden on the municipality and taxpayers.
95
236 Ibidem. In Celle steel frame construction was employed.
tung in 1932 was very critical about the new technologies because of the resulting high maintenance
costs: "Over the last thirteen years they learnt how to transform the 'high-minded' ideas into an
architectural reality. Informal connections were used to ensure the support of building authorities.
What has come out of this 'ideal' collaboration is an appalling example and sobering lesson for the
future."233 He gave the examples of defective flat-roof slab constructions in Frankfurt-am-Mein 234,
Werkbund's model housing estate Weissenhof in Stuttgart 235 and Otto Haesler's development in
Celle236: in all these housing estates serious structural problems caused the maintenance costs, high
to begin with, to grow even higher. The housing community at Babelhof in Brunswick, established
under the auspices of Social Democrats, went bankrupt despite - and perhaps because of- the fact
that it had built a few hundred flats. Artur Seibel saw this situation as a result of employing non-eco-
nomical construction methods and untested new materials that had soon caused the degradation
of entire developments. Problems of this kind certainly did not do much for the reputation of Neues
Bauen already under attack by the National Socialist Party that was quickly rising to power.
233 Artur SEIBEL, 'Neuzeitliches Bauen', Ostdeutsche Bau-Zeitung-Breslau 1932, vol.30, p.298.
234 Ibidem. Those responsible for structural defects have managed to flee in time and the suffering citizens of Frankfurt bear dire consequences of their
misgivings..
235 Ibidem. The author criticised the Werkbund for not contributing to cover the maintenance costs of non-economical buildings putting the
entire burden on the municipality and taxpayers.
95
236 Ibidem. In Celle steel frame construction was employed.