Weissenhof

Weissenhof is a symbol of innovation in architecture, materials, technologies, spatial design, and life at the dawn of Modernism. A century later, once again the territory has the chance to set an example of innovative development that meets the needs for redesign and functional saturation of the existing environment and enriches public spaces in cities. IBA’27 allows spreading this experience across other cities and countries which could repeatedly enhance the impact of the completed projects.

Our vision

Our vision is to preserve Weissenhof’s heritage and its development throughout the last hundred years and meet the present and future needs and challenges to serve as an example and an inspiration in the forthcoming hundred years. Our design solutions reflect the focus of IBA’27 – A mixed-use productive city & productive city region in which the housing–leisure–work trinity co-exists in liveable and sustainable spaces.

Our strategy

Our concept is structured around the idea of spatial and functional unification of Weissenhof and the Academy of Art and Design. Although these two territories have been developing in parallel throughout the years, the feeling of isolation and independent functioning remains. We see the added value in transforming them according to the productive city region concept, which refers to high-density, liveable and mixed-use neighbourhoods where people live, work, and spend their leisure time, and where low-emissions industry and urban agriculture also find their place.

Mobility & connectivity

We aim to continue the existing logic of Zone 30, implemented in the area, by reducing the vehicular traffic in Weissenhof and by creating more spaces that prioritise pedestrians. We focus on transforming Am Weissenhof St. into a shared street. The reduction of on-street parking provides more space for comfortable and safe pedestrian and bicycle mobility. To meet the climate challenges, we preserve the character of the distinctive modernistic asphalt pavement by replacing it with a more sustainable material – pervious asphalt.

Next to the Visitor and Information Centre, we place a bus stopover for a short-term stay, which will serve the increased number of visitors during the exhibition.

Public space

We see a lot of potential in enriching the open public spaces of Weissenhof and the campus, allowing for a diversity of recreational and leisure activities to take place locally. By increasing green areas, we contribute to more sustainable rainwater drainage and reduce the size of impervious areas and heated land during summertime. By decreasing the vehicular traffic in the area, we create high-quality and welcoming public spaces that invite people to stay and spend more time outdoors.

Buildings

The situation and design of our newly proposed buildings reflect the planning principles and architecture of Modernism and correspond to the context of the recently built projects, which are bordering the territory. The new buildings are situated in a way that preserves the existing visual and pedestrian diagonal directions and creates visual connections with the iconic modernist buildings.

We perceive the Reception building as the main entrance to Weissenhof Estate and the State Academy of Art and Design. The proposed building and its surrounding area reflect our desire to unite both territories, using spatial and functional activities that serve both the Visitor and Information Centre and the Academy.

The north building of the campus, part of the Academy, reflects the modernist ideology of the free ground floor plan, which enables unobstructed circulation on the main diagonal axis. This way the open public space goes through the building’s boundary and enlivens the ground floor area. The building is situated in a way that allows visitors and students to perceive it visually from one of the main arrival points – the metro station, which turns the building into a landmark on the campus.

We see the experimental urban development field Bruckmannweg 10 as a flexible terrain, that could be transformed according to the needs in a way that preserves the architectural heritage in its foundations. The area could serve as a field for demonstrations and tests of innovative construction technologies and living environments during IBA’27 and afterward, which meet present challenges – post-war recovery, building structures for emergencies and crises, utilisation of construction resources, affordable and space-saving housing, etc.