Hermann Beims Estate

The Hermann Beims Estate, built in Magdeburg between 1925 and 1929 in the style of the New Architecture, set new standards for social housing, in terms of both design and function. Here, affordable dwellings geared entirely to the needs of the residents were created according to a city-wide general development plan drawn up by Bruno Taut.

As Germany’s economic situation stabilised during the Weimar Republic, Magdeburg’s mayor Hermann Beims began to develop new sites on the city’s west side to provide urgently-needed housing. The project was influenced by key principles of both the workers’ movement and the garden city movement. Only about one third of the planned construction was ultimately built. The design was developed by Magdeburg’s director for urban expansion, Johannes Göderitz, in cooperation with the architects Konrad Rühl, Gerhard Gauger, Adolf Otto and Willy Zabel.

More than 2,000 dwelling units were built in attractive surroundings this way – with comparatively low rents thanks to new materials. The average size of the flats, each designed for four to five people, was 63 square metres. The project was particularly appealing due to hygienic standards that were quite high for the time: each unit had a private bathroom and its own source of heating. In addition, almost all the dwelling units were equipped with balconies and had exposures on both sides, allowing for optimal lighting and ventilation.

From the initial concept to the final details, the design of the Hermann Beims housing estate was characterised its by functionality, simple means of design and clear structure. The three- to four-storey, flat-roofed residential blocks are arranged to form rectangular open courtyards that feature planted inner courtyards and front gardens. The housing estate was initially linked to the city centre by an allée-like green corridor that has since been fully lined with buildings. The city’s municipal housing association, the Wohnungsbaugesellschaft Magdeburg, renovated the complex in the 1990s. It is meanwhile a protected heritage area and remains in use today. [DB/DK]