Description
“The first high-rise in the GDR.” The structure, realized in brickwork, contains four identical units grouped around a central stairwell. A generous hallway leads to kitchen, bathroom, closet, and two of the three rooms. The latter, projecting from the building core, are arranged around the corner, with the corner room in the middle and lit from two sides. The attractive layout and dimensions of each of these rooms allows for a free choice of usage. Moreover, the non-load-bearing dividing wall suggests that two of these rooms could easily be combined into one.
The kitchens open towards the auxiliary stairwells (stipulated by the building authorities) with garbage disposal chutes. The building is strongly defined by its “classic” image since it was intended to “satisfy the need for representation of the working people.” On the other hand, the surprisingly neutral rooms are the reason why these apartments are once again in demand today.
Drawings
Floor plan diagram, scale 1:500
Site sketch of Weberwiese with high-rise and adjacent block
Standard floor, scale 1:200
Cross section
Photos
Exterior view
Originally published in: Oliver Heckmann, Friederike Schneider (eds.), Floor Plan Manual Housing, fourth revised and expanded edition, Birkhäuser, 2011.