Bewobau Housing Project, Walldorf

Bewobau Housing, Walldorf

Neutra’s ambition to simultaneously address the needs of the individual while housing the “masses” was most completely articulated in Germany between two housing projects in Walldorf and Quickborn. Collaborating with the Bewobau Corporation as the chief design architect, Neutra envisioned 250 units with nine distinct housings types ranging from two story flats in rows to upscale free-stranding houses. Initially, Bewobau Corperation planned to erect 190 homes between the two developments but in response to a down trend in demand and rising cost per unit, the housing association ultimately only constructed 67 homes. Each unit features large glass surfaces, fluid transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces, overhanging flat roofs, reflecting pools and asymmetrical floor plans. Whether purposed individuals or families, all units are oriented for the sun and privacy while each of their respective building types are intermixed with one another to avoid segregation and offer variation.